*Please be aware that this article contains references to suicide throughout that some readers may find distressing. Please read with care*
Today marks World Suicide Prevention Day. It’s a day where organisations across the world come together to raise awareness about the importance of suicide prevention.
One in five of us will experience suicide thoughts at some point in our lives. However, polling of UK adults earlier this year by the Samaritans found that only 45% people feel comfortable talking to family and friends about suicide thoughts.
Tragically, thousands of people in the UK continue to lose their lives to suicide every year. It also has a deep impact on the families, friends and colleagues of those affected.
Suicide prevention is a significant public health challenge. The causes of suicide thoughts are complex, varied, and influenced by a broad range of factors, including socio-economic conditions, life circumstances, and mental health problems.
Building an understanding of these factors, behaviours and most importantly how to communicate about them is vital. Put simply, having the right people, with the right knowledge, in the right place can save lives.
Level 4 Suicide First Aid Qualification
The Royal Society for Public Health has partnered with The National Centre for Suicide Prevention Education and Training CIC (NCSPET) to offer the Level 4 Award in Suicide First Aid qualification to learners.
NCSPET is an award-winning community interest company specialising in providing suicide prevention training and guidance to organisations and community members in order to meet the goal of a suicide-free society.
The Qualification will equip learners with an understanding of the factors that may lead to suicide thoughts and behaviours, and knowledge of the key components of suicide prevention.
It is suitable for workers who have a role in contributing towards suicide prevention. This may include workers in the health and social care, education, criminal justice sectors, or people in local communities that are working within an organised suicide prevention framework.
Jenni Peprell, Director of Qualifications, Royal Society for Public Health, said:
“Suicide prevention is a major public health challenge. Every life that is tragically lost to suicide has a deep and far-reaching impact.
Our focus has to be on embedding knowledge of suicide prevention as far as possible with those who have the potential to make life-saving interventions.
We are pleased to be partnering with the NCSPET to offer this qualification, and through our partnership, we hope to ensure that knowledge of suicide prevention is widely accessible.
Jamie Compton-Rea, Chief Operating Officer, The National Centre for Suicide Prevention Education and Training CIC (NCSPET), said:
"World Suicide Prevention Day is an important day that can bring forward many emotions for each of us, of those we have lost and those who we can support moving forward.
Today, we are extremely proud to announce our partnership with the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) along with our new Level 4 qualification in Suicide First Aid®, and hope that through working together, we can continue to make a real difference in preventing suicide, and empower others to do the same!"
If anyone has been affected by the issues raised in this article or is feeling like they want to end their own life – help and support is available right now if you need it. This page contains a list of free helplines. You are not alone.
