Suicide prevention report will lead to improvements in services for those in need

The Mental Health and Suicide Prevention research involved more than 280 people from diverse communities and populations from 14 groups across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, including Veterans, those with Long Covid, key and essential workers and older people. The one-year project sought to capture the experiences of service users and their families, family members bereaved by suicide, health care professionals and the voluntary sector.

“Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. If my childhood trauma had been addressed, I don’t think that I would have had my breakdown and lost everything.” One of the report's participants

Talking therapies and exercise were named as the two top elements of ‘what worked well’ for the whole group, with 29 per cent, while friends and family scored only six per cent. Nine per cent reported that nothing worked.

Launching at the Towards Zero Suicide event hosted by PH Cornwall in November 2022, the report highlights the experiences of service users, looking at what has worked well and what could be improved to prevent mental health problems reaching crisis point.

The findings and recommendations will lead to a series of new voluntary sector services due to begin in April 2023, currently out to tender. Healthwatch Cornwall will continue to monitor the outcome of these new services to ensure they meet the needs and gaps in services identified in the report.

The project also looked at what worked for individual groups, with some suggesting the need for support groups, better access to professional services and GPs.

On average more than one person dies by suicide every week in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Every single one of these deaths is a tragic loss and has a devastating impact on families, friends, colleagues, communities and services.”  Report author Michelle Hooker

A key finding was that people found they had to retell their story with every interaction with health and social care, which many found distressing.

Other key findings were:

• 16 per cent of people named green space as important to their mental wellbeing
• 12 per cent found meditation helpful
• GPs need more training to gain a better understanding of mental health.
• The importance of being able to access your GP, especially in times of crisis with shorter waiting times has been highlighted by many

Key recommendations to improve suicide prevention services include:

• Deliver support services in a variety of ways; virtually, face to face, in a group and 1:1 and utilise text services to follow up
• Further engagement with ethnic minority groups, including introducing translation services
• Promote Social Prescribing and Mental Health practitioners in GP surgeries, to relieve pressure on GPs and improve access
• To continue to recognise the link between physical and mental health using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS) – (more at-risk groups for depression and anxiety are related to physical health) and continue to provide the Healthy Outlook service
• Provide specific help and support for a wider range of long-term conditions including Long Covid and physical and sensory impairments
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) therapy for Veterans to be more widely publicised and easily accessible
• Create a Cornwall-wide British Sign Language (BSL) mental health support for people with hearing loss
• Provide person-centred joined-up care: staff training and sharing of information to enable understanding and building trust is key to supporting our communities
• To work with Addiction Recovery Agency (ARA) to ensure local gambling support is widely publicised and easily accessible
• To promote the existing 24/7 Mental Health helpline and Shout text service.  

To view Michelle's presentation in full and to find out more about Cornwall's Mental Health and Suicide Prevention strategy outlined at Towards Zero event head to  Towards Zero Suicide - Cornwall Council