Suicide prevention and postvention

Blog authors: Julia Shervington and Gabrielle Taylor

Trigger warning: this blog mentions suicide.

With World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September) and World Mental Health Day (10 October), now is a really important time to learn what we, as employers, colleagues and community members, can do to prevent suicide, and should the worst happen, how to support those affected by suicide.

We have created a suite of resources which are designed to provide organisations with information, tools and templates to build proactive cultures of prevention, and because it may not be possible to stop all suicides, a post-suicide response guide. Please use this link to access the resources:

World Suicide Prevention Day Resources

Supporters, please use this link to download your exclusive resources from the portal:

Log into the Supporter portal

But first, it is important to understand why we need these prevention days and why suicide is still far too prevalent in the higher-risk sectors in which we work.

Why this is important

At Mates in Mind, we have been sharing the shocking statistics on suicide for some time, and despite the hard work of many organisations and charities, we are still not seeing these numbers decline. However, before we look at those statistics, first we’re going to discover the human side. This is partly because everyone has mental health and therefore anyone can experience mental ill-health, but also to show you the impact suicide can have on those it touches.

In this video, we meet John who tells us his story:

John was fortunate, he got out of the car, received the help he needed and is now sharing his story to help normalise conversations about mental health and suicide. But for thousands of family members, colleagues and communities, the story is not always a happy one.

In this video we meet those affected by suicide, this is Chris’s story, please be aware this can be a difficult video to watch:

According to a study (UK Health Security Agency), it is estimated that up to 135 people can be affected by a single suicide – family, friends, colleagues, first responders including medical and police staff, and the wider community are also impacted. Those closest to the deceased will also need specialist suicide bereavement support. Therefore, this blog is not just about prevention of suicide, but also about support for those affected by it.

Given the statistic above and the fact that in 2023 there were 7,055 deaths by suicide in the UK (House of Commons Library), that means that in one year alone, almost a million people were impacted by suicide.

Worryingly, the statistics also show that relative to the size of the population, the suicide rate in England and Wales in 2023 was the highest since 1999.

In addition, studies have found that:

Around 3 in 4 people who died by suicide in 2023 were men (Office of National Statistics)
Suicide is the biggest cause of death for people under 35, and for men under the age of 50 (Office of National Statistics).
Only 27% of people who die by suicide have had contact with mental health services in the year before they died (University of Manchester).
There has been an increase in 'deaths of despair' – deaths attributed to alcohol, drugs, and suicide. These deaths have risen by 24% since the pandemic, equating to approximately 3,700 additional deaths in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels. This surge is strongly linked to worsening mental health conditions (Institute for Fiscal Studies).

As an Office of National Statistics report stated, ‘Attempting to explain suicide is complex as it is likely that a number of factors act together to increase risk, including some job-related features. We believe employers can play a critical role in helping to prevent suicides.’

So do we.

This is why we advocate for organisations building proactive cultures of prevention, but given the sheer scale of the issue, it is why we have also created the post-suicide response guide – both resources can be downloaded using this form.

Language

Before we move on, we need to consider the language we use. It is important we are honest and clear about what has happened, but equally important is ensuring we do not use terminology that implies blame, creates shame, or reinforces the stigma. Therefore:

You can download a ‘changing the narrative’ resource using this form, and can discover more about appropriate language in this blog:

Blog: How to support others to optimise their mental wellbeing – part 2

It is also important to bust the myths that surround suicide, here are just three of them:

“Asking someone directly if they are thinking about suicide “plants” the idea in their head”. No, it doesn’t. Asking them directly if they are experiencing thoughts of suicide can open the door to them starting to talk about it and accessing the support they need.
“People who talk about suicide are attention seeking”. No, they aren’t. Statements like this reinforce the stigma. Instead, start a conversation by asking the person if they have thoughts of suicide, and signpost to further support if needed.
“It is always obvious when someone is experiencing thoughts of suicide”. No, unfortunately it isn’t. Some people may show lots of signs, others a few, and some none that are obvious. This is why training is important, so you know how to spot the signs and signpost support. Do you remember the Norwich Football Club video?

Prevention

When an organisation has integrated strategies, tools and support across its workforce, which support their employees' mental health and wellbeing within work, they have the foundations of a culture of prevention.

These actions, combined with improved awareness and understanding of the topics, opportunities for further education around both suicide prevention and mental health, and a commitment to improvement of these from across an organisation, all produce a workplace culture geared towards ongoing prevention.

By creating an open and inclusive culture, employers can empower their workforces to have difficult but important conversations about mental health and suicide.

If a workforce is supported with the awareness and understanding of how and where they can get support, in an environment where they do not feel judged or restricted by stigma, they will feel more able to get the support they need.

A workplace culture where conversations are encouraged, and mental health and wellbeing are being proactively supported by employers, can be crucial in tackling the complex challenges of mental ill-health and suicide prevention.

Again, we have said this before, but surveys still report that managers are unaware that ‘Employers have a legal duty to protect workers from stress at work by doing a risk assessment and acting on it. This is the same duty you have to protect people from other health and safety risks.’ (Health and Safety Executive).

Quick quiz – do you:

Know how to spot that someone is experiencing stress?
Conduct an individual stress risk assessment if you do spot the signs?
Know how to conduct it?
Know what to do with the results of the assessment?
Know, and do you have the authority, to make reasonable work adjustments if required?
Know how, when and where to signpost further support?

If you have answered ‘no’ or ‘unsure’ to any of these questions, then you are not alone. Our own survey found that:

Fewer than 10% of respondents said that their “line managers know how to undertake stress risk assessments and understand when they may be necessary” (almost 70% said they would not).
Less than 20% have mental health policies in place (over 46% do not).
Less than 13% said they have provided all employees with general mental health awareness training in the last two years (61% have not).
However, almost 78% do record the reason for absence being related to stress or common mental health conditions.

Resources

We know it can be difficult to begin taking action:

Where do you start?
What do you say?
Who do you talk to?
How do you make it more than a one-off?

Therefore, if the questions above have raised concerns and/or identified gaps in your provision, then this section provides some key resources to get you started.

In addition to downloading the suicide prevention pack (by completing the form on this page), please also visit our resources page to download infographics, guides and factsheets on stress, spotting the signs of ill-health, supporting someone experiencing anxiety, and more. There are also five short stress awareness videos to watch:

Resources

Ensure you have plans in place to train all of your staff, so that you can build a mentally resilient team. Our training courses which include Mental Health First Aid, and a suite of courses designed for employees at all levels of your organisation, on how to support someone who is experiencing mental ill-health:

Training

Read our other blogs in the series which include creating a supportive workplace culture, eradicating the stigma that surrounds mental health, optimising the mental wellbeing of those around you, and much more:

Blogs

Finally, speak to us about how we can help you to create a culture of prevention – starting with a comprehensive assessment of where you are on the mental health journey, a tailored plan for how to fill the gaps in your provision, a free course and peer support webinars, access to exclusive resources and templates, as well as a dedicated Support Manager to guide you on your journey:

Become a Supporter

Post-suicide or postvention

Although many organisations are doing great work in building positive mental health in and through their own workplaces, and whilst we advocate for the creation of workplace cultures that emphasise prevention, we know that deaths by suicide may still occur. Therefore, in order to support organisations through that challenging time, we have created a Post-Suicide Response Guide (please use this form to download it).

The aim of the guide is to assist employers, including HR teams and managers, to support individuals following the loss of a colleague to suicide. Although no two instances of loss are the same, the guide aims to provide recommendations for responding to suicide which are flexible, person-centred, and empathetic. Through being prepared, businesses can create workplace environments where everyone feels supported.

Traumatic events can have a significant impact on individuals, both at work and at home, and in the case of suicide, whether someone has witnessed an incident, or lost a colleague, its impact (both physically and emotionally) is devastating. The impact of suicide may be felt not only by those directly involved but also by the wider team, and thus an understanding of how to support one another is crucial. Therefore, the guide provides you with information on who may be affected, the impact of suicide on them, how to support them, and provides tools and templates to do that.

Complete this form

Conclusion

If this blog has resonated with you, please remember you are not alone. Reach out to a colleague, family member, your GP, call NHS 111 or the Samaritans on 116 123. The link below will take you to a list of support services:

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 Remember, you are not alone, there is always someone to talk to or somewhere to find additional help. 