Tag: National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group

Surviving Suicidal Thoughts – sharing personal stories for support 

“‘I’m struggling’. Those two words were all it took.“

NHS 24 and the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG) are offering new support to people living with thoughts of suicide or plans to end their own life.

Short video clips are hosted on NHS inform, where people from across Scotland tell their individual stories. The people featured generously share the ways they have found to live past their suicidal thoughts or intentions. The aim is to offer people in this situation support to better manage these thoughts and to find hope..

The videos are presented alongside information on how to listen and talk about suicidal feelings. There is advice on ways to cope when it feels as though you can’t, and what warning signs to look for as well as how to reach urgent help via 999, the Samaritans or 111.

NHS 24 Director of Service Delivery, Janice Houston said: “Our first priority is offering a compassionate service to everyone that contacts us about their mental health, and we know that some people would prefer to listen than to talk – at least at first.

“We are very pleased to be able to offer this option to people experiencing thoughts of suicide and our thanks go to those who have shared their journeys so generously.

“For anyone who is concerned for themselves or anyone else, we encourage you to listen to these stories and to find someone who can listen to you – whether that is a friend, colleague or family member, or one of the specialist helplines available 24/7.”

NSPLG chair Rose Fitzpatrick CBE QPM said: “We are committed to exploring innovations in digital technology to help save lives from the tragedy of suicide. The creation of the new Surviving Suicidal Thoughts resource on the NHS Inform website represents a significant step towards better supporting those who are having suicidal thoughts and their loved ones.

 “This new resource, developed with our partners at NHS 24, is intended to help those thinking about suicide and those who are supporting someone who may be suicidal.  It features people who have themselves known these tough times describing what they experienced and what has helped each of them get through.

 “We hope these compelling personal stories will encourage people experiencing suicidal thoughts to know that they can get through such dark moments and will also provide information for others on how to support someone who may be suicidal.  We believe that suicide prevention can be everyone’s business.”

NSPLG Lived Experience Panel member Neil Renton features in one of the videos and is urging people to seek help by talking about their mental health.

Recalling his own story, he said: “Currently I feel really good mentally, but it’s not always been like that.

“I think the thing that caught me out was I wasn’t expecting to feel as bad as I did. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what made me feel depressed and low and took me to feel suicidal.

He added: “I think I was in denial because there wasn’t anything that set it off or triggered it, I came from a loving family, I’m well-supported, life and soul of the party. I felt I didn’t have an excuse so I found it really difficult to appreciate that I could have been suffering mentally.

“It was a struggle to be open and honest with others, be it my wife, family, medical people, friends and colleagues as well. You were always worried you were going to be judged, people would look at you differently.

“I remember what it was like when I was suicidal and just felt like there was nothing else I could do.

“I’d hate for anybody to be in the position I was in. I could see it like an edge I was running towards and no obstacle could stop me.

“My family would be like a wall I would smash through, my friends barbed wire I could jump over and there was nothing stopping me getting to that edge.

“And I just remember thinking: ‘I really need to say something at this point or that’s me gone’.

“I was dreaming up this big speech to my wife that I wanted to be poignant and memorable, but I simply said: ‘I’m struggling’. Those two words were all it took.

“We talked for hours, I gained confidence, felt supported and from there I got the help I needed and continue to work on my mental health to this day.

“Please talk about it.”

The content is for anyone experiencing thoughts of suicide. It is for those around them, family, friends, work mates and others too. The full stories are also on the NHS 24 YouTube channel.

Improving response for people at risk of suicide

Suicidal Crisis Support Action Group will drive implementation of the Time, Space and Compassion approach

A new group will be set up to make sure that everyone at risk of suicide can access the right support when then need it, following recommendations made by the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG).

The Suicidal Crisis Support Action Group will drive implementation of the Time, Space and Compassion approach, a new way to improve help for people who are suicidal.

Nigel Henderson, former Chief Executive of Penumbra and member of the NSPLG, has been appointed as National Lead for Suicidal Crisis Support to lead this work.

Wellbeing Minister Kevin Stewart (above) said: “I welcome the report from the NSPLG and the recommendations it makes on improving responses to people in suicidal crisis. We will consider the recommendations in full.

“To deliver the scale of change set out in their recommendations, a dedicated Suicidal Crisis Support Action Group will be established to take forward and oversee the implementation of this work. 

“The appointment of Nigel recognises his career in developing compassionate support for vulnerable people, including those at risk of suicide.  The group will be accountable to ministers and continue to work in close partnership with NSPLG.

“We know there are some excellent examples of suicidal crisis support services across Scotland already, and we have an opportunity to learn from those to make sure this type of support is available right across Scotland.

“Every day, people in our communities, and those working in statutory and third sector services, are responding compassionately to people in crisis.  However, there is more we can do. This report offers a real opportunity to transform how we engage and support our most vulnerable people at times of suicidal crisis.”

Nigel Henderson said: “I am very pleased to have been asked to lead on implementing this work.

“Having been a member of the NSPLG and directly involved in this work,  I believe that developing the Time, Space, Compassion approach has the potential to make a positive difference to how we respond to people experiencing suicidal crisis.

“There is much to do, and I look forward to working with people, communities and organisations to take forward the recommendations.”

Scotland’s National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG) has welcomed the Scottish Government’s acceptance of recommendations for improvements to the response provided to people in suicidal crisis.

Established by the Scottish Government, the NSPLG brings together people with lived experience of suicide alongside academic, third sector, and statutory partners to support the delivery of Scotland’s Suicide Prevention Action Plan: Every Life Matters.

These key NSPLG recommendations have been accepted in full by the Scottish Government and will be published on their website today (Wednesday 13 October ).

The NSPLG report uses evidence on the effectiveness of differing models of crisis support to make recommendations to service providers and share best practice.

It deliberately does not recommend a particular model of crisis support. Instead, it sets out an approach which sees suicidal crisis response as a human reaction, not a service model, and sets out the principles of Time, Space and Compassion as the basis of improvement in support for those in crisis.

The recommended approach is at the core of the NSPLG’s vision in supporting delivery of Every Life Matters, ensuring the right support is available for people when they are actively contemplating suicide at a time of crisis.

Time allows a person to discuss their feelings, and Space recognises the need to provide an accessible, quiet, comfortable, pleasant place for a person to talk and/or a virtual space to access support by phone, text or online.

In addition, research shows that Compassion in response to a person in crisis encourages them to disclose details which, in turn, can lead to more effective support being offered and lay the foundations for self-compassion, reducing the need for support from frontline services in the future.

Embedding the principles of Time, Space and Compassion into responses to suicidal crisis in Scotland will require concerted action across national and local government, and services across sectors, communities and citizens.

NSPLG chair Rose Fitzpatrick CBE QPM, said: “We believe that this approach, rooted in Time, Space and Compassion, can be implemented across all sectors and communities, transforming the experiences of those in crisis and at immediate risk of suicide.

“It is important to highlight that this report is not critical of existing crisis support. Based on the experiences of those who have been in suicidal crisis and those around them, it recommends a radically different cultural landscape, and requires a different sort of resourcing to enable this approach to be implemented consistently.

“People with lived experience of the impacts of suicide and those providing services tell us these recommendations have the potential to improve the experiences of those who seek help at a time of suicidal crisis, and ultimately to save lives.”

Member of NSPLG Lived Experience Panel, Shumela Ahmed (39) from Bridge of Allan near Stirling, is the managing director at Resilience Learning Partnership. She has family and friends who have experienced poor mental health and made suicide attempts.

Shumela has also experienced suicidal thoughts herself.

She said: “I believe Time, Space and Compassion is the right approach because it’s trauma informed and it understands that it takes time to build up trust and connect with a person when they are in a suicidal crisis.

“Every interaction is an opportunity for intervention. When a person is at risk of suicide they need a compassionate response from someone who will spend time with them and offer a safe space for them to talk.

“A really kind, compassionate, empathetic human conversation is often what is actually needed rather than following some big, important framework.

“I look forward to these recommendations being implemented in workforces so that staff have the tools and the resources to take this approach.”

The NSPLG recommendations are intended to be a starting point for work in this area and they focus, in the first instance, on the practical support and evidence required to make this culture shift collaboratively, and on ensuring the availability of existing crisis services as we emerge from the pandemic.