Cambridge University Hospitals will sign the STOP Suicide Organisational Pledge, to mark World Suicide Prevention Day on Thursday 10 September.
CUH is the 35th organisation to sign up to the Pledge, since the STOP Suicide campaign launched exactly a year ago. The campaign seeks to encourage organisations to recognise the warning signs of suicidal behaviour and ask directly about suicide if they are worried about someone, to help keep them safe. Since its launch, it has received a national Prevention award and was recently recognised by the Department of Health.
The Pledge is a key part of the STOP Suicide campaign, across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, which aims to empower individuals and communities to be more aware and open about suicide and reach out to those who may be distressed and in need of support.
The campaign is being led by the charities Mind in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough & Fenland Mind and Lifecraft, supported by local NHS and Public Health teams. It started life in 2014 as one of four different NHS England-funded pilot campaigns across the East of England and since April 2015 is continuing via other funding streams.
Signing the Pledge is just one part of a day of events across Cambridgeshire to mark World Suicide Prevention Day, which this year has the theme ‘Reaching Out and Saving Lives.’
University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine are due to hold an internal briefing on Suicide Prevention, led by STOP Suicide, which will also include the screening and presentation of a short yet powerful film around suicide bereavement by London-based actor Alexander Theo. Other activity across the county will include public community stands in Cambridge ASDA and Peterborough.
Aly Anderson, STOP Suicide project manager, said: “Although all project partners are pleased with this encouraging response, we still have a lot to do to reduce suicides. To make impact, we need to recognise suicide is everyone’s business and that we can all do something to help someone in acute distress.”
Since the campaign’s launch a year ago, there have been more than 8000 visits to the STOP Suicide website, 36 local employers have signed up to the STOP Suicide Organisational Pledge, more than 600 Personal Pledges have been made and around 200 people have had Suicide Prevention Training.
For more information about the STOP Suicide campaign and to sign the Pledge, please visit www.stopsuicidepledge.org, where you can also find the campaign’s latest Impact Report, illustrating its outcomes and achievements to date.
*Trigger Warning* Alex Theo’s powerful film of bereavement by suicide ‘All is Good’
If you are feeling suicidal, or have been affected by the content within this article, please contact:
Samaritans: 08457 90 90 90 (24-hour national helpline)
Lifeline: 0808 8082121 (Cambridgeshire helpline, 7pm – 11pm 365 days of the year)
SOBS (Survivors Of Bereavement by Suicide): 0300 111 5065 (national helpline, 9am to 9pm every day).
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For further information:
• Cambridgeshire STOP Suicide campaign garners national praise from Department of Health – Cambridge News, 31 August 2015
• Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Useful contacts
Cambridgeshire:
Aly Anderson, STOP Suicide Project Manager
aly.anderson@mindincambs.org.uk T:07930282792
Carole Morgan, Assistant Manager, Lifecraft
carole@lifecraft.org.uk
Peterborough:
Emily Gray, CEO, Peterborough & Fenland Mind
Emily.Gray@pfmind.org.uk T: 01733 530650
Jo McHattie, Peterborough & Fenland Mind
Jo.McHattie@pfmind.org.uk T: 01733 530650