Would you like to be a MHNE Trustee?

23/08/2010 9:37:37 PM

MHNE is actively seeking new Trustees for the charity. >>

Fewer suicides in the North East

06/09/2010 4:55:56 PM

Over the past three years the number of deaths by suicide in the North East has fallen by around 14%. But we still see around 220 people taking their own lives in the region each year.

Neil Johnson, Public Mental Health Lead for the North East, who is vice-chair of a regional suicide prevention group, said: 'It is clearly good news that fewer people are taking their own lives, but we still have a long way to go to bring that number down further. Just to bring the North East in line with the rest of the country we need to see a further reduction of around 18 cases per year.'

As part of International Suicide Prevention Awareness Week, today marks the launch of the North East region's new five-year strategy for Suicide Reduction and Prevention, which sets out the costs of suicide to the region. A study in Northern Ireland calculated the approximate cost of each successful suicide at £1.4 million. Based on these figures, preventing 18 suicides a year would save the regional economy over £25 million.

But behind the figures are the more important human stories - the crises that led each individual to take his or her own life and the impact it had on their family, friends and the wider community.

 
Brian Key, Director of Commissioning for mental health services across the North East, who chairs the regional suicide prevention group said 'Every suicide is a human tragedy and all of the key agencies involved, the NHS, police, prisons, social care and the voluntary sector are committed to doing everything they can to reduce and prevent suicide and self harm.'

Shirley Smith, from If U Care Share - a support organisation set up in 2005 after her son took his own life at the age of 19 - spoke about the devastating effect this had on her and her family:
'The ripples of suicide go out far and wide affecting not just families but whole communities. For most people touched by suicide, their lives will never, ever be the same again. It is reassuring to know that we have a five year strategy committed to working towards reducing the numbers of deaths by suicide within the North East. The action plans within the strategy identify the path that will be followed to try and impact on the high number of deaths within our region.'

The new five year suicide prevention strategy sets out a number of priorities. For the current year (2010-2011) these priorities include:
• Supporting community groups and agencies to work together and influence what happens in the region to reduce the number of suicides

• Improving information sharing between organisations on people at risk of suicide

• Work to prevent ‘clusters' of suicides in any one particular area

• Improving access to training on mental health awareness and suicide prevention

• Improving support for people discharged from hospital after self-harming

• Reducing the availability of some prescription medications which are used to self-harm

• Improving support for people in crisis, through better joint working between health, police and probation services.

Future priorities will include a focus on the impact of alcohol use on suicidal behaviour, support for those bereaved by suicide and support for service people and veterans at risk of suicide.

Brian Key goes on to say that, 'This strategy sets out shared regional priorities and an approach to work collaboratively on what we know is a challenging and complex issue. Its intention is to save lives through better joint working across agencies, better intelligence on need and service delivery and the development of a new pathway between health, the police and probation services. It is consequently a major step forward in coordinating the efforts of the region's key agencies in the fight to make the north east a safe place for all.'
The regional suicide prevention and reduction strategy can be downloaded from http://www.nemhdu.org.uk/health-improvement.

- ENDS -

Notes for Editors
Figures have been calculated by the Office for National Statistics based on ICD-10 classifications including all suicides and most open verdicts.

For further information on the Northern Ireland study into the cost of suicides please see: www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/phnisuicidepreventionstrategy_action_plan-3.pdf

Media Contact

For more information please contact:

Neil Johnson, Public Mental Health Lead
North East Mental Health Development Unit
Tel: 07979 487034

Moodjuice - information, advice for those experiencing troublesome thoughts, feelings and actions

26/08/2010 10:35:07 AM

Moodjuice Forth Valley is a site design to offer information and advice to those experiencing troublesome thoughts, feelings and actions. http://www.moodjuice.scot.nhs.uk

>>

National Survivor User Network Bulletin 20.08.10

20/08/2010 10:40:14 PM

Weekly bulletin of news, events and funding information... courtesy of NSUN and NEt.

Church and Community Fund (England)

19/08/2010 12:29:09 AM

Under the Church and Community Fund grants of up to £15,000 are available to community projects run by parish churches, deaneries, dioceses and other bodies connected to or working in partnership with the Church of England. >>

Learning in Communities Award (England)

19/08/2010 12:25:23 AM

UnLtd have teamed up with NIACE to offer one individual the chance to receive a Learning In Communities Award to establish a project to engage adults in learning. If you have an innovative idea to get adults in the community back into learning, this is your chance to apply for the Award of up to £5,000 and a complete support package to help get your idea off the ground.  To be eligible for the Award, you must have an original and innovative project that engages adult learners, defined as being 18 or over, or if under 21, having been out of full time education for at least 3 years, in a regular learning activity.  >>

Engage Awards (England & Wales)

19/08/2010 12:23:57 AM

In response to the increasing ageing of the population and the challenges this will bring,  UnLtd and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation have teamed  to offer 30 Start-Up Awards (Engage Awards) of £2,500  to individuals and informal groups to improve the social issues faced by older people in their community.  Successful projects will need to fall within one or more of the following themes.

Young Film Fund (UK)

19/08/2010 12:22:52 AM

First Light Movies provides grants to projects that enable young people to participate in all aspects of film productions. Since launching in 2001, First Light Movies have enabled over 12,000 young filmmakers to write, act, shoot, light, direct and produce over 800 films. The funding is available to organisations such as schools, youth services, community and voluntary groups that work with young people aged between 5 and 18. Every year approximately £700,000 of grants are available through three funding streams.

Third Sector Investment Programme for the Innovation, Excellence and Service Development Fund (England)

18/08/2010 11:14:12 PM

The Department of Health has announced that the Third Sector Investment Programme for the Innovation, Excellence and Service Development Fund is now open for applications.

National Survivor User Network Bulletin 16.08.10

18/08/2010 4:18:44 PM

Weekly bulletin of news, events and funding information... courtesy of NSUN and NEt.  >>