Suicide Prevention and Postvention

The NHS Confederation, NHS Employers, NHS England and Samaritans have also recently developed a dedicated postvention toolkit. This practical resource is aimed at helping NHS organisations develop a process for managing the impact of employee suicide on colleagues.

How can organisations address the issue?

Mental health champions

By implementing mental health champions, you can ensure there is a first line of support and signposting available for staff. Having a supportive conversation at the right time can often prevent a tragic loss. Ensuring that the knowledge and experience of champions are up to date and they are confident to face potentially difficult scenarios can help ensure an effective service. Raise their profiles by embedding them into the employee induction process and enabling them to take part in staff network conversations, it's important that staff are aware of who they can contact if they need support.

Upskill line managers

Ensure line managers have the right training and skills to spot signs of suicidal thoughts and effectively signpost to appropriate avenues. Read about how you can upskill managers to support the mental health of staff. Encouraging compassionate leadership can help staff open up and beat the stigma around mental health conversations at work.

Support for staff at risk of suicide

• Bereavement support line – NHS staff have access to a confidential bereavement support line, operated by Hospice UK and free to access from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, where they can speak to a fully qualified and trained bereavement specialist. Call 0300 303 4434.
• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) – for men, call 0800 58 58 58 from 5pm to midnight everyday or visit the webchat page.
• Papyrus – for people under 35, call HOPELINE247 on 0800 068 41 41. Lines are open 24 hours every day of the year.
• Samaritans – for everyone, call the 24-hour helpline 116 123. 
• Worried about someone else? See the Samaritan’s tips on how to support someone you’re worried about and Rethink’s advice on how to support someone with suicidal thoughts.
• Stay alive app – NHS and social care staff have free access to the Stay Alive app, which aims to provide help for people with existing mental health concerns, suicidal thoughts, and those struggling in self-isolation. It provides information to help colleagues stay safe, including advice for people concerned about someone else who may be considering suicide.
• Support after suicide partnership- ‘Help is at hand’ is a resource for people bereaved through suicide or other unexplained death, and for those helping them. 
• Survivors of bereavement by suicide offers information of suicide postvention and supporting the bereaved.