Agenda and minutes

1. Introduction

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made.

2. Purpose of the Meeting

Councillor Roche, in his opening statement :-

i) explained that there was only one item on this agenda, which was the specific purpose of considering the independent review of actions taken following a group of suicide events in Rotherham and the future strategy in tackling the risk of suicides.

ii) stated that the thoughts of everyone at the meeting went out to all parents affected by these tragedies and that those present shared the deep sorrow. The key was to take action and do as much as possible to make sure that such incidents did not happen again. The purpose of the meeting was to look at the work done and determine how it could be performed better by a number of different agencies.

iii) expressed thanks to the Councillors of the Wickersley electoral Ward, who had originally brought the issues formally to the attention of the agencies and had worked hard on ways of moving the issues forward.

iv) stated that the agencies must look back, learn the lessons and acknowledge that things must be better. Actions, strategies and processes had to be put in place to make improvements, intervene at an earlier stage and prevent suicide happening.  Support needed to be provided for the bereaved families and friends, which would be straightforward to access. The aim was to take forward an effective suicide prevention strategy, with the co-operation of all agencies and schools.

3. Suicide in Rotherham - Independent Review of Actions and Future Strategy

Introducing both the covering report, the report of the Independent Review (NB: executive summary) and the supporting documents submitted to the meeting, Jo Abbott offered condolences to the families, stating that she had met family members previously. She was aware that the pain and grief were tremendous. People in the agencies wanted to do what they could to prevent suicide and incidents of self-harm from happening again.

The purpose of the submitted report was :-

(1) to report formally the key findings of the independent report commissioned by the Council to examine circumstances surrounding the four deaths by suicide of boys and young men in Rotherham, aged between 15 and 19 years of age, since 5th November 2011 and two identified self-harm incidents as late as March 2014.  Two of those who died by suicide and one of the self-harm incidents were students attending School A;   and

(2) to present Rotherham’s Suicide Prevention Action Plan and its model Rotherham Suicide and Serious Self-Harm Community Response Plan for consideration and approval  by the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Attached to the report were three appendices:-

a) Executive Summary of An Independent Review of Actions Taken Following a Group of Suicide events in Rotherham;  (nb: the full document is available on the Council’s website);

b) Draft Rotherham Suicide Prevention and Self-Harm Action Plan;

c) Rotherham Suicide and Serious Self-Harm Community Response Plan.

There were five key aims to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 81.

Resolved:-  That future meetings of the Health and Wellbeing Board take place on:-

Wednesday, 8^th July, 2015

Wednesday 26th August 2015

Wednesday 30th September 2015