Suicide Prevention Strategy (Hansard, 13 June 2003)

§ Jacqui Smith

Implementation of the national suicide prevention strategy for England is being taken forward by the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMHE) as one of its core programmes of work. NIMHE is in the process of developing partnerships across Government and its agencies, and with other organisations to ensure a co-ordinated approach at a national level. A number of NIMHE's development centres have appointed mental health promotion and suicide prevention leads to ensure successful implementation and ownership at a local level.

Much of the initial work following the launch of the strategy has been in terms of building capacity at both a national and local level for implementation. Early discussions have taken place with a range of organisations and individuals that had expressed an interest in helping implementation. A number of early deliverables where we could make good progress in the first year have also been identified, including: The development of a toolkit to support implementation of Standard 7 of the national service framework for mental health (prevention of suicide); The establishment of mental health promotion pilots aimed at young men; A link from the NIMHE website to Farming Link which provides confidential help for all in the farming and rural communities; The establishment of mental health promotion pilots aimed at young men; A link from the NIMHE website to Farming Link which provides confidential help for all in the farming and rural communities; Response to the Review of Coroners Services highlighting the need to ensure that the Coroners Service addresses the specific needs of people bereaved by suicide; The development of a support pack for people in contact with families bereaved by suicide; Through the 'mind out for mental health campaign', a media guide has been produced which highlights ways of ensuring the media report about mental health and suicides in a more responsible way; Workshops for students at journalist colleges now contain a session on the reporting of suicides.