Agenda item

To present the final version of the Suicide Prevention Strategy to the Health and Wellbeing Board for approval.

Sushma Acquilla presented the Suicide Prevention Strategy 2021 – 2026 (Agenda Item 9) and explained that it had been written by Karen Buckley who was now on maternity leave. Key points from the presentation included:

·         The strategy would apply across Berkshire.

·         Strategy principles were:

1.    Reduce suicide in high-risk groups

2.    Tailor approaches to improve mental health in specific groups

3.    Reduce access to means

4.    Information and support to those bereaved or affected by suicide

5.    Promote sensitive media reporting

6.    Support research, data collecting and monitoring

7.    Self-harm

·         The Strategy was a refresh of the 2017-2020 version.

·         It utilised the experience of the Suicide Prevention Steering Group.

·         It was informed by professionals who supported those directly affected by suicide.

·         A Working Group was set up to identify priorities, derived from local data, intelligence and information.

·         A Steering Group subgroup defined content for each priority and provided regular updates to the Steering Group.

·         ONS and RTSS data was used with data from audits on suicide prevention, NHS 0-25, and a deep dive session on female suicides. The impact of Covid-19 was also considered.

·         The vision was: ‘To reduce deaths by suicide in Berkshire across the lifecourse and ensure better knowledge and action around self-harm’.

·         Key focus areas were:

1.    Children and young people

2.    Women

3.    Self-harm

4.    Economic pressures

5.    People bereaved or affected by suicide

Councillor Dominic Boeck noted that young people may be influenced to self-harm or take their own life through social media. He asked if this was addressed in the Strategy.

Sushma Acquilla stated that Children and Young People were a key focus. She did not think social media was mentioned in the strategy, but recognised the importance of the issue.

Councillor Doherty expressed surprise and disappointment that there had been no public consultation, and that this had been a lost opportunity to raise awareness of the Strategy. Also, she noted that there were only 3 out of 60 people on the Steering Group from West Berkshire.

Garry Poulson stated that the West Berkshire Suicide Prevention Action Group had attended as many of the meetings as possible (80%+) and Rachel Johnson from West Berkshire Council’s Public Health Team had also been attending. Others had attended on an ad hoc basis.

Councillor Adrian Abbs noted that the suicide rate for men was twice that for women and asked why women were a key focus of the Strategy.

Sushma Acquilla explained that for Berkshire as a whole, suicide rates were higher for women.

Katie Summers asked if there was a Delivery Plan for the Strategy.

Garry Poulson agreed that there needed to be actions on the ground. In West Berkshire, a zero tolerance approach to suicide had been adopted. A local Steering Group had been established four years ago with a wide membership. They had: run training sessions for front-line workers and business owners; given talks at various clubs; organised signs to be erected at key sites; developed a website to provide immediate and non-immediate support; an outreach worker had been employed; and, through the Surviving to Thriving Fund, the outreach worker was being trained to be a frontline trainer.

Andrew Sharp commended the work undertaken, but noted that there was a deficit in how suicide was discussed within the health community, since it tended to sit in Secondary Care and it was rarely discussed in Primary Care. He noted that there were new roles coming into Primary Care specifically to deal with Mental Health and so there was an opportunity to join things up.

Sushma Acquilla stressed that this was a Berkshire-wide Strategy, and it would be presented to each local authority in turn. It could either be presented in its current form or amended prior to adoption.

The Chairman proposed that the Strategy be adopted. This was seconded by Councillor Jo Stewart. At the vote, the motion was carried.

RESOLVED that: the Berkshire Suicide Prevention Strategy 2021-2026 be adopted.