Mental Health Awareness Week: Coronation Street story serves as a reminder that it’s OK to talk about suicide and mental health

Coronation Street’s poignant story that centred around suicide, and the early days of suicide bereavement, serves as a reminder to Shropshire’s and Telford’s communities that it’s OK to talk about suicide and mental health.

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week (14-20 May 2018), Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin’s Suicide Prevention Network want to remind and encourage anyone who is experiencing similar issues, or who has been bereaved as a result of suicide, that help and support is available.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2018

The network, whose vision is to aspire to prevent all deaths from suicide in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, had recently issued its Joint Suicide Prevention Strategy. The strategy sets out actions to ensure those at risk or affected by suicide are signposted to, and can access, the support and agencies that they require at the right time.

Between 2013 and 2015 there were 131 deaths formally recorded as suicide across Shropshire and Telford. These numbers are likely to be underestimated due to the legal necessities for categorising a suicide death.

Help at Hand

Last week’s storyline involved Aidan Connor, played by actor Shayne Ward, taking his own life. Suicide is the leading cause of death in men younger than 50. Men are at a significantly higher risk, with three out of four suicides being completed by men (although in recent years the rate of suicide deaths have been increasing for women).

There is also growing evidence of the association between self-harm and increased risk of death by suicide, even though many people who self-harm do not intend to take their own life.

Lee Chapman, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for health, adult social care and housing, said:

“Suicide is a very sensitive and complex issue. There is no simple explanation for why someone chooses to take their own life and it is rarely due to one particular factor. As members of communities, it is everyone’s responsibility to look out for those who may be struggling to cope with day to day life.

“If people can relate to or feel affected by Aidan’s story, it may help (or they should) talk about this. Talk to a friend, family member, GP, counsellor or one of the many helplines available.”

Anyone needing support should call the Samaritans 24-hour support service on 116 123 or make an urgent appointment to see their GP.

To access mental health services, in Shropshire call 0300 124 0365 or for Telford call 0300 303 1601 or visit http://mentalhealth.sssft.nhs.uk/.

For those affected by suicide can also seek help and support at http://supportaftersuicide.org.uk/support-guides/help-is-at-hand/

Further information

Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin’s Suicide Prevention Network is made up of the following organisations:

• Shropshire Council
• Telford and Wrekin Council
• Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Hospital Trust
• South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Shropshire Community Health Trust
• West Mercia Police
• Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service
• West Midlands Ambulance Service
• Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group
• Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group
• Third and voluntary sector organisations

To date the partnership have produced a ‘quick reference’ service information leaflet, which summarises what to do and who to contact if you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis (currently in draft for comment).  The partnership recognise that suicide is preventable, and its risk factors can be screened for, so have been developing stronger partnership links across a wide range of services to raise awareness of suicide risk and promote more of us to talk openly about suicide and self-harm.

Shropshire’s Joint Suicide Prevention Strategy

The strategy aims to:

• Shropshire’s Joint Suicide Prevention Strategy aspires to prevent all deaths from suicide in the region and ensure access to the most appropriate help and support for those considering suicide and for those affected by suicide.
• The partnership are currently progressing the action plan detailing how the Suicide Prevention Strategy will be implemented. This includes the priority work streams of improving access to a range of tailored support for people who may have suicidal thoughts, have self-harmed or are experiencing a mental health crisis and supporting those who have been bereaved by a suicide death.
• Raise awareness of suicide risk, promote access to support services (including those bereaved by suicide) from a wide range of sources (not just health services)
• Encourage more people to talk about self-harm, suicide and the risk factors associated with suicide in order to destigmatise and encourage people to seek help when they feel it is needed
• Provide those who have a public-facing role to have confidence in signposting people affected by suicidal thoughts to the services that could best help them.
• There is growing evidence of the association between self-harm and increased risk of death by suicide, even though many people who self-harm do not intend to take their own life.
• Certain occupations are at greater risk from individual’s likelihood of attempting suicide which include doctors, vets and farmers.  There is therefore opportunity to reach people through support in the workplace.
• Recent evidence from Public Health England suggests higher risk of suicide is higher in males with lower skilled occupations compared to the national average.  Males in labourer/construction roles have three times average risk, whereas those in skilled trades (such as plasters or painters) have double average risk.
• Highest occupation risk of suicide for females is associated to the nursing profession and primary/nursery school teachers.
• Both males and females working in culture, media, performance/entertainer or sports occupations have a higher than average risk of suicide.