Agenda item

Report by the Director of Public Health.

The West Sussex Suicide Prevention Strategy 2017-20 outlines priority areas for preventative action in the county.

19.1   The Committee considered a report by the Director of Public Health and the West Sussex Suicide Prevention Strategy 2017-20 (copies appended to the signed minutes) which were introduced by Daniel MacIntyre, Head of Service, Public Health, who highlighted the age profile of victims, the economic impact and the fact that the number of suicides in West Sussex was reducing. He also told the Committee that: -

·       £687k of funding had been awarded for suicide prevention activity in Brighton & Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex

·       Emerging issues and clearer levels of ambition needed to be included in the next version of the strategy

19.2   Summary of responses to the Committee’s comments and questions: -

·       The YMCA operated Children & Young Peoples’ Improved Access to Psychological Therapiesinterventions in the community and data was inputted into the NHS data set. It also employed a clinical psychologist from Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT)

·       Pathfinder West Sussex is an alliance of ten third sector providers working in partnership with SPFT to enable people with mental health support needs, and their carers, to improve their mental health and wellbeing

·       SPFT would be increasing its Crisis Team staff and hoping to engage better with hard to reach groups that might prefer to speak to the voluntary sector or their peers

·       The West Sussex Suicide Prevention Steering Group included representatives from the Council, SPFT, bereavement support, the ambulance service, Police, Transport Police and Network Rail, all of who provided information to update the Group’s action areas

·       Coroners could now pronounce verdicts on suicides which increased the numbers of deaths attributed to suicide ‘on the balance of probabilities’

·       There had been a peer review of the strategy

·       The strategy correctly identified the key at-risk groups

·       The Samaritans could only provide national data

·       Drug and alcohol abuse were large causes of suicide

·       Social isolation was another risk factor and tackling this was a priority for Public Health with services being commissioned to combat it

·       SPFT’s adult services recognised the needs of children transferring to its services more through partnership working with the Council, Children & Adolescent Mental Health Services and Children Looked After teams

·       The YMCA provided information on mental health to schools written by young people

·       Work was taking place to reach LGBTQI people who were considered higher risk of suicide and self-harm compared to the general population

·       Daniel MacIntyre offered to produce a briefing for the Committee on the key groups at risk of suicide

·       From February 2020 the first point of contact for anyone with mental health problems would be the NHS 111 service

·       Educational psychologists provided a wellbeing service to schools – there was also a schools-based mental health team providing emotional support in a pilot scheme

·       Coastal MIND worked with partners to deliver training in schools

·       Young people could be helped with online counselling with therapeutic input and online resources with clinician support

·       It was important that people were encouraged to say if they felt suicidal as they could then be advised where to go for support

·       Change, Grow, Live had 1,500 service users, many with a dual diagnosis e.g. mental health issues and drug/alcohol abuse - the Drug & Alcohol Death Audit showed dual diagnosis was an area of high priority

·       Social media could have both positive and negative effects

·       ‘Time to Talk Health’ has successfully targeted men, and in March 2020 a social media campaign would be launched aimed at preventing male suicides

·       Training was required for staff in financial debt support organisations, such as the Citizens Advice Bureau given the association between debt / financial hardship and suicide

·       People who have been discharged from inpatient wards will now be followed up in the community within 72 hours

·       Recovery colleges for patients and peers have worked well and now offer suicide prevention courses

·       Mental health professionals accompanying police patrols worked well

19.3   Resolved – that the Committee: -

1. is assured that the relevant partner organisations are coming together to monitor the output of the current Suicide Strategy
2. asks that the priority areas for action have increased levels of ambition
3. asks that work continues and increases around those in transition between Children’s and Adults’ Services, including Children Looked After
4. asks that further support is given to educational establishments in terms of support and training in the work place
5. asks that the offer of training is prioritised
6. asks that a focus on the wider determinants are prioritised with an importance on treating the cause rather than the symptom
7. asks that a briefing is circulated to all Members and the offer of Member training is explored
8. asks to consider the next West Sussex Suicide Prevention Strategy in draft form at a future meeting and also the Self Harm Needs Assessment