5 minute read
Key recommendations
The themes and priorities identified through the consultation process were used to form recommendations to improve suicide prevention within each community and the region as a whole. The interventions and/or programs recommended were in turn aligned with the LifeSpan model and the nine evidence-based strategies. These strategies are based on the most up-to-date evidence drawn from large scale suicide prevention programs overseas that have shown positive results. The LifeSpan wheel and strategies are shown below.
a d a p t a ti o n d n a p i h o w n e r s L o c a l D a t a - d r i v e n d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g
Advertisement
Improving safety and reducing access to means of suicide
W o r k f o r c e i n f o r m a ti o n a n d d e v e l o p m e n t Improving emergency and follow-up care for suicidal crisis Using evidence-based treatment for suicidality
Encouraging safe and purposeful media reporting
Engaging the community and providing opportunities to be part of the change
Building a community safety net that helps prevent suicide
Equipping primary care to identify and support people in distress
Improving the competency and confidence of frontline workers to deal with suicidal crisis
Training the community to recognise and respond to suicidality
C o m m u n i t y e n g a g e m e n t
Promoting help-seeking, mental health and resilience C u l t u r a l g o v e r n a n c e a n d i n c l u s i o n in schools
L i v e d e x p e r i e n c e i n c l u s i o n a t e v e r y l e v e l
The recommendations for Whyalla were:
• Implement a dedicated aftercare service to provide follow-up care for those who have made a suicide attempt. This includes providing continuity of care, coordination across services and strong follow-up. • Develop comprehensive safety plans which can prevent suicide or assist people in crisis. • Create a ‘no wrong door’ approach. • Provide locally developed resource packs to patients, family and carers who have been in contact with crisis care. • Implement best practice care guidelines within the emergency departments and deliver training to emergency department personnel and hospital staff. • Implement workforce development strategies that can attract, train and retain frontline workers and emergency responders. • Establish specialised mental health trained nurse practitioners, to be based in Emergency Departments.
Using evidence-based treatment for suicidality
• Improve information sharing between services, families and carers. • Increase specialist support and training for GPs. • Encourage the use of Telehealth and e-Mental Health tools. • Implement improved consent tools to enable better sharing of information between health services. • Deliver Advanced Training in Suicide Prevention (ATSP) to clinicians including doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists.
• Provide further training opportunities for GPs and practice staff. • Encourage the development of local multidisciplinary networks. • Establish clear referral mechanisms in the community. • Create linkages and collaboration between services to ensure streamlined referrals and aftercare support. • Equip practices with the ‘StepCare’ platform allowing GPs to easily identify patients in need of support and tailor a treatment plan that is right for them.
• Develop a common appropriate language across agencies and sectors. • Provide targeted education and training for Accident and Emergency staff to refresh or upskill and build their capacity to support the community. • Build awareness across first responders of local referral pathways. • Facilitate real-time electronic data collection by agencies to report and measure the level of suicidal crisis in the community. • Encourage participation of frontline workers in multidisciplinary events such as Expert Insight forums.
• Encourage the delivery of evidence-based programs, promoting help-seeking behaviours and building resilience. • Provide suicide prevention training to all education staff. • Review school referral pathways to ensure students at risk are being connected to appropriate care. • Work with young people to develop awareness and tools to prevent bullying.
• Provide training opportunities for the community to help recognise and respond to suicidality. • Develop a local resource that provides people and agencies with a greater level of knowledge and information about who to contact when people are in crisis. • Develop an online portal of services and agencies that is easily accessible. • Implement Question Persuade Refer (QPR) strategies, targeting community members and health professionals alike. • Engage with local government to provide community support through venues, events and staff resources.
• Establish suicide prevention representatives within organisations to promote help-seeking and suicide prevention awareness. • Provide targeted engagement for key stakeholders through training and information that activates positive change and builds the capacity for people to support each other and respond in a crisis. • Proactive use of social media to engage and inform the community. • Engage with community and sporting groups to build capacity and promote help-seeking behaviours. • Ensure information about support services and programs are accessible and visible in the local community 24/7. • Develop posters on local service options that are visible and accessible across the community.
Encouraging safe and purposeful media reporting
• Facilitate Mindframe training for media and key spokespeople, including mayors, politicians, and others. • Provide training opportunities for people with a lived experience of suicide to share their story to create understanding and awareness.
• Review data processes for the State Ambulance Service to ensure adequate reporting of suicide attempts and deaths by suicide. • Facilitate real-time electronic data collection by agencies to report and measure the level of suicidal crisis in the community.
