HPFT’s commitment to suicide prevention

10 Sep 24

As a mental health Trust, we are committed to supporting people at risk of suicide and developing new approaches to prevent it. Most recently we undertook research to understand the demographics of people attending A&E with suicidal ideation and how they were supported in the following months.
This research helped us to identify a greater need for support to emergency nurses to increase their knowledge and awareness of risk factors as well as some of the signs that people display who may be suicidal.

The research also highlighted the importance of implementing local and national suicide prevention strategies to help nurses address gaps in support, thereby improving the individuals experience both in, and beyond, the emergency department. From research, we know that deaths from suicide and repeat hospital visits for suicide attempts can be reduced when a prevention approach is implemented. Hertfordshire’s Suicide Prevention Pathway is currently being piloted in two hospitals: the Lister Hospital in Stevenage and Watford General Hospital. It follows a six-step process and covers areas such as screening – to identify suicide risk, follow up – to reassess future risk and how the individual is cared for when they leave the hospital.

Simulation Hub

As part of its commitment to suicide prevention, HPFT is inviting organisations to undertake suicide prevention training within its Simulation Hub. The Simulation Hub places staff in an environment which replicates scenarios they would face in real life, alongside trained actors who take on the roles of service users or carers. It consists of clinical skills laboratories and simulation and debrief rooms that contain high-fidelity mannequins and cameras. If this is something you might be interested in, please contact hpft.simulation@nhs.net for more information.

Hands holding a yellow ribbon, which is an emblem for suicide prevention awareness.

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HPFT’s commitment to suicide prevention