During Baby Loss Awareness Week, Tory MP Tessa Munt paid heartfelt tribute in the House of Commons to John Osman, former Conservative leader of Somerset County Council, and his wife Holly, who tragically lost their twins in 2018.
John Osman led Somerset County Council from 2012 to 2017 and was the first chairman of the Somerset Rivers Authority. In November 2018, Holly and John’s twins, Logan and Lottie, were born prematurely at just five months gestation. Both babies passed away within the hour of their birth, leaving the family devastated.
With Holly present in the Commons gallery, Ms Munt spoke movingly about the Osmans’ loss, highlighting that grief from losing a child crosses all political boundaries. She emphasized the urgent need to standardize compassionate bereavement care across the UK to support families facing similar tragedies.
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Ms Munt, who previously represented Wells as a Liberal Democrat MP, shared that Holly and John raise their surviving six-year-old twins, Alex and Amelia, alongside carrying the memory of Logan and Lottie.
The Osmans received exceptional support at the Royal United Hospital’s ‘Forget Me Not’ suite in Bath, a specialized bereavement service Mrs. Osman credited with helping the family through their heartbreaking journey.
Ms Munt urged the government to mandate uniform bereavement care services nationwide to eliminate disparities and ensure every grieving parent receives the skilled support they desperately need. Studies reveal only half of bereaved parents find adequate support, with just 17% accessing it through the NHS.
She praised frontline NHS workers and highlighted the risk poor care poses to vulnerable parents’ mental health. “Dignity, acknowledgment, and compassionate bereavement care lay the foundation for healing,” said Ms Munt, “while no one can undo loss, better care can ease the burden of grief.”
The MP called on the Department of Health and Social Care to establish clear pathways for bereavement support and mental health referrals, making emotional care a standard part of the NHS experience.
Concluding her remarks, Ms Munt acknowledged the courage of families like the Osmans who share their grief, saying their advocacy offers hope and solace to others. “We cannot erase their pain, but we can ensure no parent walks this path alone,” she affirmed.