Trust and ICB host annual Suicide Prevention Conference
South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust and Integrated Care Board joined forces in September to host our annual Suicide Prevention Conference.
Held in the same week as National Suicide Prevention Day, the Conference brings together clinicians, commissioners, members of our communities and people with lived experience to help drive our the SWL Suicide Prevention Strategy.
Now in it’s third year, we were privileged to hear some incredibly personal and emotive stories from a range of speakers ranging from the impact of gambling in sport and online abuse, to understand more about national and local priorities. An attendee told us they thought the event was an ‘Excellent selection of topics and speakers - I really felt that the content was amazing and very relevant. I loved the mixture of interactive and presentation. The groups were so well facilitated by the team.’
At the heart of the Conference was ‘Hold the Hope’ - a suicide prevention collaboration between SWLSTG and lived experience members. Hold the Hope is a group of dedicated volunteers with personal experience of suicide who have created a compelling film, aimed at breaking the silence surrounding suicide. Drawing from their own lived experiences, the film serves as a catalyst to spark open, honest conversations about suicide, while empowering others with the insights they’ve gained from their own journeys. This is central to the SWL Suicide Prevention Strategy and you can find out more here.
As well as hearing about peoples’ experiences, the aims of the Conference were to share some of the latest evidence and service updates, and to give people a chance to meet others who are passionate about reducing and preventing suicide. We saw many new relationships forged at the conference which we hope will help us to smash stigma, with one attendee saying they would ‘Open my eyes, be aware, ask questions as part of normal conversation, listen, don't judge, suggest other support available.’
Dr Sean Whyte, Trust Consultant Psychiatrist and Deputy Medical Director said:
‘The annual Conference is vital to celebrating our successes but more importantly, bringing together people who can make meaningful change in areas we still need to tackle. As ever, I am truly grateful to those who shared their story. Next year, we will look to incorporate some more practical learning and bitesize training so that attendees leave with more skills to support their communities.’
Support in a crisis
Please remember, if you need mental health support in a crisis you can call our 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Line on 0800 028 8000. The Mental Health Crisis Line offers emotional support and advice to people who are affected by urgent mental health issues, at any time of the day or night. For those living in Croydon, you can call 0800 731 2864. It is open to everyone: both children and adults of all ages, and to people who haven’t previously accessed mental health services. More information can be found here.
