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September 2022 

Welcome to the September 2022 Suicide Prevention Newsletter for Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES). 

This newsletter has been created to keep you informed of suicide prevention work that is happening in B&NES and update you  on forthcoming events and training opportunities. A theme will be introduced for each newsletter and the focus of this edition is 'loneliness'.

Please share within your network and wider for shared awareness. To subscribe for future newsletters or access archived newsletters press the 'subscribe' button above.

If you would like more information about the content of this newsletter or if you would like to contribute to future editions, please get in touch by emailing suicide_prevention@bathnes.gov.uk 
 

Disclaimer: If you find any of this content upsetting or distressing please call Samaritans 116 123 for free or talk to a professional or a person you trust.

In This Newsletter

  • Latest news

  • B&NES Suicide Prevention Stakeholder Workshop

  • World Suicide Prevention Day

  • Training 

  • Tools

  • Loneliness and suicide

Latest News

World Suicide Prevention Day: World Suicide Prevention Day is an awareness day observed on 10th September every year, whereby organisations get together to promote worldwide action to prevent suicides. This year’s theme continues as 'Creating Hope Through Action', which aims to empower people with confidence to engage with the complexity of 'hope'. Find out more about World suicide prevention day by visiting:

NEW: Join Bath Mind for Food and Mood Courses for Over 55’s: the Food for Thought team are hosting a FREE online food and mood course for over 55s, where they will be taking a look at how food affects our mood and wellbeing. Each session will include expert knowledge and insights into how food affects our mood, as well as a guided meditation at the end of each session. The course will be held on Wednesdays from the 14th September. For information on how to sign up, see here.

Boys at the Crossroads: In the UK men’s violence is the biggest single health risk facing women and girls while male suicide is the biggest killer of men under 40. Of course, men also experience violence, including sexual harms, yet this is overwhelmingly perpetrated by other men. A research team at the University of Bristol will be creating a multidisciplinary conference of the topic of young men’s mental health. This will be an opportunity share, showcase, theorise and troubleshoot innovative practice and thinking to enable novel collaborations. For more information on how you can contribute to the conference or sign up using the following link.

Samaritan’s Suicide Prevention Strategy: In June 2022, Samaritan’s shared their 2022-27 Suicide Prevention Strategy to help achieve their vision that fewer people die by suicide. The five major ambitions for the new strategy to improve are: Access, Reach, Impact, Capacity and Sustainability. To download the strategy and to find out more information on what Samaritan’s plan to achieve over the next five years, see here.

Bath Mind Launch Emergency Department Adult Intervention Service
Bath Mind have launched their new service at the Royal United Hospital in Bath. This service offers support to those who are experiencing mental health decline or crisis in Bath’s Emergency Department. This service is available to anyone presenting to the Emergency Department with mental health crisis behaviours, low mood, depression, and anxiety. For more information on what support is involved and when the service is available, please see here.

Money and Mental Health: Reducing suicides by tackling financial difficulties. Financial difficulties and problem debt can exacerbate mental health problems that hinder recovery, sometimes with devastating consequences. Over 100,000 people in England attempt suicide while in problem debt each year. Click here to read the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute’s response to the DHSC’s call for evidence on the 10-Year Plan for Mental Health.
 

Have your say on B&NE’s suicide prevention strategy

In B&NES, we’ve been working on our new Suicide Prevention Strategy, and we would love to hear your views. B&NES Council are running a stakeholder workshop on Wednesday 12th October 2022. The workshop will be a chance to hear about positive work that has taken place over the last year, and it will also be an opportunity to provide suggestions for the priorities of the next Suicide Prevention Strategy and workplan. The workshop will include informative presentations, discussions from individuals with lived experience and opportunities to discuss Suicide Prevention priorities in B&NES with key organisations.

If you are interested in this event, please register your attendance via the Eventbrite page (see here).
WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY 2022
 
One in every 100 deaths worldwide is the result of suicide. It can affect every one of us. Each and every suicide is devastating and has a profound impact on those around them. However, by raising awareness, reducing the stigma around suicide and encouraging well-informed action, we can reduce instances of suicide around the world. World Suicide Prevention Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of suicide and to promote action through proven means that will reduce the number of suicides and suicide attempts globally.

‘Creating Hope Through Action’ is a reminder that there is an alternative to suicide and aims to inspire confidence and light in all of us; that our actions, no matter how big or small, may provide hope to those who are struggling. Preventing suicide is often possible and you are a key player in its prevention. Through action, you can make a difference to someone in their darkest moments - as a member of society, as a child, as a parent, as a friend, as a colleague or as a neighbour. We can all play a role in supporting those experiencing a suicidal crisis or those bereaved by suicide.

For more information on how you can support World Suicide Prevention Day, visit Samaritans website or the International Association for Suicide Prevention . If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, or know somebody who might be, Samaritan’s have a 24/7 listening service and suicidal support. Call 116 123 for free from any phone or visit their website. For further support tools, see the B&NES Suicide Prevention Livewell Website.

Training

Zero Suicide Alliance – Suicide Awareness Training Join ZSA’s 20-minute suicide awareness training where you will gain the skills and confidence to help someone who may be considering suicide (free).

Bath Mind - Mental Health First Aid. Dates available throughout September. Become a Mental Health First Aider and attend Bath minds online course. The online MHFA is broken down into 4 live sessions with independent learning (£304 per person).

Bath Mind - Suicide First Aid training: October: The course focuses on teaching the theory and practice of suicide intervention skills that can be applied in any professional or personal setting (£163 per person).

Child Bereavement UK Bereavement by suicide - Supporting children, young people and families. A 3-hour interactive online workshop will consider the challenges associated with supporting children and young people bereaved by suicide- multiple dates (£45 per person).

Suicide Awareness for Everyone - SAFETalk: Suicide Awareness For Everyone, is an introductory talk about suicide, to raise awareness, explore the prevalence and spots signs of risks  - Multiple dates (free).

Talking About suicide: Ten tools - online training - In just 90 minutes, learn ten tools and develop confidence to start a conversation with someone you're worried about. You could save their life (donations).

Maytree Respite Centre: Level 1 Suicide Awareness and Prevention Training - This Level 1 training is aimed at professionals looking to develop their understanding of suicidal ideation (free).

Maytree Respite Centre: Level 2 Suicide Awareness and Prevention Training. This Level 2 training is aimed at professionals with existing knowledge around suicide, looking to further develop their skills and understanding (free).

Charlie Waller Trust,   Free webinars for parents, cares and educators, exploring strategies for maintaining positive mental health, paying attention to our own wellbeing and supporting those around them. Topics include: managing the highs and lows, the teen brain matters and loneliness.

Tools

  1. R;pple Effect Newsletter. R;pple is an interceptive tool designed to present a visual prompt when a person searches for harmful keywords or phrases relating to the topic of self-harm or suicide. The online tool aims to reduce exposure to potentially harmful online content. Get updates all things R;pple by signing up to the monthly newsletter.
  2.  Zero Suicide Alliance. The Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA) Resources website supports individuals, communities and organisations to meet people’s mental health needs before, during and after experiencing crisis – to ultimately prevent suicide in UK and beyond. Sign up to receive ZSA resources here.
  3.  Boys in Mind (Girls Mind Too) is a  B&NES based movement, set up as an outcome from the previous B&NES Suicide Prevention Strategy.  Now run by young people themselves, Boys in Mind work hard to support the mental health and wellbeing of boys and young men including through the development of films, work in schools, blogs and podcasts.
  4. The Stay Alive app is a pocket suicide prevention resource for the UK, packed full of useful information to help you stay safe. You can use it if you are having thoughts of suicide or if you are concerned about someone else who may be considering suicide.
  5. Making suicide part of the everyday conversation, HOPECAST is a podcast from UK charity, PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide. By talking openly and honestly with a range of guests about suicide, mental health and emotional wellbeing, HOPECAST is smashing the stigma around suicide one conversation at a time.
  6. Bath Mind Breathing Space  offers a calm, non-clinical service, supporting individuals experiencing or at risk of a mental health crisis.  Email: breathingspace@bathmind.org.uk or call: 01225 983130. Lines are open 365 days a year between 5:30pm – 11:30pm.
  7. The Beside Project provides emotional and practical support to any individual living in B&NES who has recently may have a lost a family member or next of kin to suicide. Email beside.project@nhs.net or call 0117 909 6630
  8. Survivors Of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) have self-help support groups across the UK, where you can meet with other people who have been bereaved by suicide.  They provide an opportunity to listen, to share, to ask questions and to connect with others. To join the Bath SOBS group email: bath@uksobs.org Website: www.uksobs.org/groups/bath-group

Loneliness and suicide

Loneliness is a feeling that most of us will experience at some point in our lives. You can feel lonely in a crowd, with colleagues at work, and with your friends and closest family. But if this loneliness becomes persistent, it can pose a significant risk to our health and wellbeing.

Feeling lonely can also have a negative impact on your mental health, especially if these feelings have lasted a long time. Some research suggests that loneliness is associated with an increased risk of certain mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, sleep problems and increased stress.

Some groups are more susceptive to feel lonely. The number of over-50s experiencing loneliness is set to reach two million by 2025/26. This compares to around 1.4 million in 2016/17 – a 49% increase in 10 years. Loneliness and low social interaction are predictive of suicide in older age. Therefore, we need to work together to reduce preventable mortality.

There are an estimated one million, one hundred thousand people 65 and over who are chronically lonely. The Missing Million: A Practical Guide to Identifying and Talking About Loneliness (PDF) has two main sections. One on how to successfully identify loneliness and second on how to better engage with older people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing loneliness.

Pride Month (June 2022): Pride Month was celebrated in June although celebrations will continue throughout the months of July, August, and September. Although Pride month is a time for celebration, it can also be a challenging time for many members of the LGBTQ+ community for various reasons. Some may feel excluded or unrepresented. Others may not be out yet and feel lonely during this time. If you’re finding things tough at the moment, please be assured that you’re not alone. See here for some of the available support services that can help.
 

I feel lonely. What can I do?
Loneliness is a not a personal failing. Everyone will have different experience of loneliness and different reasons for why they are feeling this way. For recommendations on what you can do if you are feeling lonely, check out:

  1. Samaritan’s guide for Loneliness, Suicide and Young People
  2. Bath Mind Tips to Managing Loneliness 
  3. Campaign to End Loneliness
     
If you have anything you would like to share in the quarterly suicide prevention newsletter, or would like to contribute to future newsletters, please get in touch using our email address below.

Our mailing address is:
suicide_prevention@bathnes.gov.uk 

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Find out more about the B&NES action plan and where you can access suicide prevention and bereavement resources, support, and training (including free online training by visiting: 
https://livewell.bathnes.gov.uk/supporting-adults-live-independent-lives/health-and-wellbeing/bnes-suicide-prevention 






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B&NES Suicide Prevention Partnership · Keynsham Civic Centre · Market Walk, Keynsham · Bristol, Avon BS31 1FS · United Kingdom

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