Agenda item

Report of Jane Fowles, Consultant in Public Health

The Board received a report of Jane Fowles, Consultant in Public Health, and a presentation from Adeola Agbebiyi, Public Health Registrar, which provided an update on the progress of the Suicide Prevention Strategy previously endorsed by the Board at their meeting on 28^th November, 2016; informed of the proposed year two implementation actions for the Coventry Suicide Prevention Multi-Agency Steering Group; and outlined the progress and proposals for NHS England funding for suicide prevention in the Coventry and Warwickshire STP footprint.

The report indicated the following approval of the Suicide Prevention Strategy for 2016-19 titled ‘Not One More/One is Enough’, the key highlights for year one strategic priorities were the establishment of an active multi-agency steering group; hosting two workshops to share best practice, local data and local excellence; supporting an event at a Wasps Home match for World Suicide prevention day; and facilitating the training of 50 champions and volunteers in level one suicide prevention. 

The multi-agency steering group operated through priority workstream Task and Finish Groups. There were currently six Task and Finish groups covering the following year 2 priorities: Training, Higher Education, Children and Young People; Acute Health Provider Liaison; Communications and Data and Evaluation.

The Board were informed that suicide was now the biggest killer of men aged 15-55, higher than road traffic accidents. It was also the biggest killer of women aged 15-35 and was preventable. Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust and local CCGs were contacted by NHS England to bid for funding to reduce suicide among middle aged men and to improve the suicide prevention service quality in the Coventry and Warwickshire STP footprint. The bid was submitted at the end of February and was currently being updated in the light of feedback and questions from Public Health England and NHS England. The bid proposals sought to:

i) Increase the activity and strength of It Takes Balls to Talk, a community interest group which trained volunteers to engage men at sporting events in meaningful conversations about mental health and suicide. They also carried out training in suicide awareness and level one prevention among male culture occupations.

ii) Additional training was proposed to increase the depth of skill on frontline for gatekeeper and sentinel roles especially in primary and secondary care.

iii) Support for community initiatives for middle aged men and supporting organisations with delivery and evaluation.

The presentation set out why suicide mattered; informed of the strategic vision which included ‘zero suicide goal in a suicide safer city’; highlighted the priority actions; provided local data statistics for the city; and informed of how Coventry was doing including activities and successes.  

Members discussed a number of issues in response to the report and presentation including the support provided by the Police; how the issue impacts on higher education institutions and an offer of support from the two universities; the importance of challenging stigma; the important role played by front line staff; how to have important conversations with people; and the inclusion of the suicide prevention work as an action for the Year of Wellbeing. It was suggested that mental health training would be useful for elected Members.

RESOLVED that:

(1) The progress update for the Suicide Prevention Strategy endorsed in November 2016 be noted and the Board continue to support ongoing delivery of the Suicide Prevention Strategy.

(2) The proposed priority actions for year two of the strategy be endorsed.

(3) The proposals outlined for the NHSE bid funding for suicide prevention among middle aged men in Coventry and Warwickshire be noted and supported.

(4) Arrangements be put in place for mental health training to be offered to the elected members.