Agenda item

Ruth Fletcher-Brown, Public Health, to present

Ruth Fletcher-Brown, Public Health Specialist, gave the following powerpoint presentation:-

Rotherham (all person suicides)

-        2020-2022 rate for Rotherham was 12.4 per 100,000 compared to 10.3 for England

What is working well in Rotherham

-        Male rate for suicide was now statistically similar at 12.4 per 100,000 to the average for England (10.3)

-        Continued promotion of Place Guidance document for staff and volunteers on responding to people at risk of suicide

-        Bespoke training for VSC organisations

-        Chronic pain workshop held with partners in February 2024

-        Suicide awareness training running for staff across Place from January to March 2024

-        RotherHive promoting additional topics such as pain management and mental health over the life course

-        Suicide awareness session in Safeguarding Awareness Week – November 2023

-        Refresh of the Sudden and Traumatic Bereavement Pathway for children and young people

-        Early Intervention and Prevention work – as evidenced in the Prevention Concordat application

-        Joint working with domestic abuse colleagues to look at actions for risk groups

-        Peer-to-peer support groups (Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide, Andy’s Man Club and ASK)

-        Qwell and Kooth promoted to the public and staff

What is working well in South Yorkshire

-        Strong partnership working – all 4 local authorities, South Yorkshire Police, NHS and voluntary and community sector

-        New appointment for the South Yorkshire Police Suicide Prevention officer

-        Third memorial event for families bereaved by suicide in December 2023

-        Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide Groups (SOBS) operating well in all 4 local authority areas

-        Amparo will launch an all-age service in April 2024

-        Chilypep commissioned to explore models of peer support for young people

-        Chronic pain workshop in July 2024

-        Reducing access to means

-        Joint working on themes and addressing the needs of vulnerable and at risk groups

What are we worried about

-        Increasing pressure on individuals and families

-        Real time data has seen higher than usual numbers of suspected suicides in early 2024

-        Certain themes coming through the Real Time Data system

-        Rising numbers of female deaths to suicide

-        Launch of the Attempted Suicide Prevention Service

What needs to happen next and when

-        Staff to attend the suicide awareness training (January to March 2024)

-        Staff to complete Zero Suicide training if face-to-face training was not an option (ongoing)

-        Place guidance document to be updated (March 2024)

-        Launch of the Attempted Suicide Prevention Service (March 2024)

-        Promotion of Zero Suicide Alliance Training to the public (Spring 2024)

-        Targeted work on themes and vulnerable groups identified through real time data (ongoing)

-        Promotion of mental health support to children, young people and adults in Rotherham (ongoing)

-        Targeted communication campaigns as part of Be the One (Spring 2024)

-        Full review action plan to be completed by end of 2024

Discussion ensued with the following issues clarified:-

•         It was a light refresh as the Local Framework for Local Areas was awaited from the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities

•         The national strategy was issued in Autumn 2023.  Also awaiting for an update of the Office of National Statistics data and the National Framework expected Autumn this year

•         National data up to December 2023 showed a slight increase in the number of female deaths

•         Further research on suicide in women

Ruth was thanked for her presentation.

Resolved:-  That the update be noted.