Our programme resources
The NCCMH and NCISH have developed a range of resources for the Suicide Prevention Programme that are free to access and use.
10 ways to improve safety
Based on over 20 years of research evidence from studies of mental health services, primary care and accident and emergency departments, NCISH have developed a list of 10 key elements for safer care for patients. These recommendations have been shown to reduce suicide rates. NCISH’s '10 ways to improve safety' provides recommended examples local areas can focus on to reduce suicide and self-harm among mental health patients. You can find more resources on our suicide in mental health patients page.
Data dictionary
NCISH developed the data dictionary to provide a selection of process measures for local areas in Wave 2, and any other areas implementing a self-harm and/or suicide prevention project, to measure change as they test new ideas within their projects.
Learning sets
Participants in the Suicide Prevention Programme, attend bimonthly events – called ‘learning sets’ – to share their learning. You’ll find the resources from these learning sets below.
Presentation 1: The Stronger Together Initiative
George Adams and Debbie Frances from Devon NHS Partnership Trust present on their 'Stronger Together' initiative at the MHSIP Suicide Prevention Learning Set on 6 December 2023.
Presentation 2: Learning from staff wellbeing across the health and social care system
Dr Paras Patel from Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust presents on what we can learn from staff in the health and social care system who have tried to end their own life at the MHSIP Suicide Prevention Learning Set on 6 December 2023.
Presentation 1: Latest findings on self-harm and suicide prevention
Professor Louis Appleby from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health presents on the recently published Suicide Prevention Strategy
Presentation 2: Sing their name
Adele Owen from NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care talks the network through a choir that has been established to support those who have been bereaved by suicide.
Presentation 1: Latest findings on self-harm and suicide prevention
Professor Nav Kapur from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health presents their latest findings on self harm and suicide prevention
Presentation 2: The impact of suicide on the mind on the bereaved
Dr Rachel Gibbons from the Royal College of Psychiatrists presents on the impact of suicide on the mind of the bereaved, and how people respond to the loss of someone by suicide.
Presentation 1: Latest findings on self-harm and suicide prevention
Professor Louis Appleby from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health presents their latest findings on self harm and suicide prevention
Presentation 2: Baton of Hope
Rachael Clifford from the Baton of Hope Project takes the suicide prevention programme through the Baton of Hope suicide prevention initiative.
Presentation 1: Latest findings on self-harm and suicide prevention
Professor Nav Kapur from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health presents their latest findings on self-harm and suicide prevention
Presentation 1: Latest findings on self-harm and suicide prevention
Professor Louis Appleby from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health presents their latest findings on self-harm and suicide prevention.
Presentation 2: Managing rail suicide and vulnerable presentations
Louise McNally from Network Rail presents on the suicide prevention work being carried out by the railway
Presentation 3: Kent and Medway Voices - Domestic abuse and suicide
Tim Woodhouse from Kent and Medway County Council presents on the research they have done to investigate the link between domestic abuse and suicide.
Presentation 1: Latest findings on self-harm and suicide prevention
Professor Nav Kapur of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health presents their latest findings on self-harm and suicide prevention.
ONS report on the change of burden of proof and suicide
Presentation 2: Perimenopause and Suicide
Dr Louise Newson from Newson Health Menopause Society presents on the impact of the perimenopause on mental health and suicide.
Presentation 3: Suicide Postvention in General Practice
Dr Sohrab Pandey from Derbyshire CCG presents on a postvention pack for general practice. For sure information on the Postvention Pack, please do contact: spanday@nhs.net
Storm Suicide Prevention Training
Presentation 1: Latest findings on self-harm and suicide prevention
Professor Nav Kapur of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health presents their latest findings on self-harm and suicide prevention.
Presentation 2: Humber and North Yorkshire Suicide Prevention
Jo Kent, Suicide Prevention lead for Humber and North Yorkshire presents on the work they are carrying out in this part of England
Presentation 3: Just Say Hello
Suffolk Public Health’s Chris Pyburn and Lynda Bradford present on Suffolk’s Just Say Hello Campaign to support those who may be feeling suicidal
Research Update: Professor Louis Appleby presents the latest findings on self-harm and suicide prevention, including Covid-19 related data, and how these will inform the review of the suicide prevention strategy for England.
Professor Louis Appleby's slides
Presentation: Claire Giraud, City of London Suicide Prevention Lead, presented an overview of the 'Suicide Prevention in the Square Mile' programme, with a focus on their approach to reducing access to the means of suicide.
Research Update: Professor Nav Kapur presents the latest findings on self-harm and suicide prevention, including Covid-19 related data, and how these will inform the review of the suicide prevention strategy for England.
National Confidential Enquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health Slidedeck
Presentation: Katherine McGleenan and Darren Flynn share an update on their study to develop an evidence-based framework for practitioners on personalized risk management and safety planning, which is being co-produced with people with lived experience.
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear's slides
Presentation: Adele Owen provides an overview of a new campaign being launched in Greater Manchester to improve mental wellbeing and raise awareness of self-harm in older people.
Research Update: Professor Louis Appleby presents the latest findings on self-harm and suicide prevention at the Suicide Prevention Learning Set on the 2nd December 2021.
Presentation: Seher Kayikci, Jane Brett-Jones and Gabriella Baker share their recent work on using data and insights from the London RTSS to support suicide prevention across North Central London.
Presentation: Alice Hendy, CEO and Founder of the R;pple Suicide Prevention tool, shares how the tool works and how it can be used in different settings.
Presentation: Katherine Trinder presents the suicide prevention resource being developed in West Yorkshire.
Research Update: Professor Nav Kapur from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH) shared the team’s latest findings, including data in relation to COVID-19; service contact and suicide prevention opportunities for middle-aged men; suicide and ethnicity; self-harm and information sharing.
Language to describe someone in suicide crisis: Liz Howlett and Sue Wilgoss from Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust gave a powerful presentation around the impact on patients and carers of the language health professionals use when talking about suicide. Liz and Sue shared details of the work that the Trust have been carrying out to ensure a change in the culture and language, which includes holding regular webinars with service users and carers presenting their own experiences.
Minimising ligature harm: Maggie Gairdner, Director of Mental Health Services, and Jo Lynch, Deputy Chief Nurse, Surrey and Borders Partnership Foundation Trust presented on their work around minimising ligature harm. For further details please email suicideprevention@rcpsych.ac.uk.
Professor Nav Kapur from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH) shared the team’s latest findings, including data in relation to COVID-19, suicidal behaviour and ethnicity, and NSICH’s recently released annual report.
Vicki Wagstaff, Clinical Network Manager – Mental Health, in the Healthier Lancashire and South Cumbria Mental Health Team, shared about the Orange Button Community Scheme, an initiative linked to quality assured and currently funded existing suicide prevention training. Those who have undertaken the training have an orange button to signify that the wearer is happy to say/hear the word suicide, can listen without judgement and can support people with signposting. Vicki shared how the training has been delivered, how the initiative has gained interest and plans for the future. Vicki's presentation slides provide more information about the scheme
Professor Louis Appleby from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH) shared the team’s latest findings, including a recently published report detailing that suicide rates in England did not rise following
the first national lockdown in 2020, despite higher levels of greater distress. Professor Appleby also discussed the fact that these are early figures and the potential longer-term effects, and also presented research from other countries’ real-time
surveillance data.
Catherine Phillips, Carers Lead, DIALOG+ & Safety Planning Trainer, and Deirdre Williams, Clinical Psychologist, at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust shared how they are working with carers to increase long term safety in adults with chronic suicide risk.
Catherine and Deirdre's presentation slides.
Sue Willgoss, Advisor for Suicide Prevention at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT), shared her very moving story on how she is working with NSFT to make positive change after the loss of her son to suicide, including improving support for patients or people in crisis and increasing awareness for staff in the Trust. Liz Howlett, Suicide Prevention Lead for NSFT, also shared her views on the Suicide Prevention Advisor role.
Marie Ash, Senior Peer Support Worker in the Safer from Suicide Team at Devon Partnership NHS Trust, shared the very inspirational story of the Letter of Hope, a letter of support written by people with lived experience from Devon, who wish to offer help and hope to those who are thinking about suicide. Marie shared how the letter was written and a recording is included in the presentation, read aloud by those involved in writing the letter. Marie has very helpfully shared her supplementary notes for today's presentation, including her own letter of hope. More information, including downloadable copies of the letter and audio file are available on Devon Partnership's website.
Professor Nav Kapur from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH) shares their latest findings, including real-time data collection on suicide and self-harm during the COVID-19 pandemic from across the world.
Professor Nav Kapur from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH) shares their latest findings, including real-time data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Katherine McGleenan, Suicide Prevention Lead in North East & North Cumbria ICS, and Chris Wood from Every Life Matters share the positive impact of multi-agency working during COVID-19, the product of which was a mental health and wellbeing booklet delivered to millions of homes in the region.
Tim Woodhouse, Suicide Prevention Programme Manager at Kent and Medway STP, shares work that he and his colleague Megan Abbott, Suicide Prevention Project Support Officer, have carried out on the relationship between domestic abuse and suicide using real-time surveillance data during 2020.
Dr Helen Smith, Clinical Lead for the Mental Health Safety Improvement Programme, provides theory and tips on how to scale up and spread quality improvement.
Professor Louis Appleby from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH) shares their latest findings, including real-time data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Louise Thomas and Vicki Wagstaff from Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) share their progress and plans for suicide prevention since Wave 1 of the Suicide Prevention Programme, including the importance of multi-agency working and working alongside people with lived experience.
Dr Michael Doyle and Lin Harrison from West Yorkshire and Harrogate Integrated Care System (ICS), a trailblazer site on the Suicide Prevention Programme, share their progress and plans for their suicide prevention strategy. This includes their work on reducing risk in men, one of the three main priority areas identified in the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
Monthly telephone clinics
In Wave 2 of the Suicide Prevention Programme, organisations across England joined monthly telephone clinics to seek advice and share learning about how to prevent suicide and self-harm. You’ll find the resources from the monthly telephone clinics below.
Workshops
Wave 4 of the Suicide Prevention Programme started in May 2021 and includes organisations across all of England, enabling participants to join bi-monthly virtual workshops to seek advice and share learning about how to prevent suicide and self-harm. You’ll find the resources from the Wave 3 and 4 workshops below.
Presentation: Co-produced framework for practitioners on personalised safety planning
Katherine McGleenan from CNTW Research & Innovation NE/NC SP Network presents on co-produced research that has produced a personalised safety planning framework that practitioners can use for people experiencing suicidality.
Additional Resources
Below you can find additional resources related to the Suicide Prevention Programme.