In March, the Suicide Prevention Consortium* published a new suicide prevention report: Suicide prevention principles: from policy to practice.
In this blog we highlight the report’s two core principles for effective and compassionate care for individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts, self-harm, suicide attempts, and/or bereavement by suicide:
- No wrong door approach
- Person-centred care
We also discuss the four key areas the report recommends to improve care.
Before reading the report:
This report mentions topics related to self-harm and suicide, which may potentially lead to distress. Before you read it, check in with yourself. How are you feeling today? If you were negatively impacted or affected, who would you contact for support? Support is available from Samaritans, for free, 24/7. Phone 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.uk.
About the report
The SPC emphasises two core principles for effective and compassionate care for individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts, self-harm, suicide attempts, and/or bereavement by suicide:
No wrong door to accessing support: Individuals seeking help for suicidal thoughts or feelings, self-harm, or bereavement by suicide should be supported to access the care they need the first time they seek support, regardless of where they reach out. Services should directly assist those seeking help and support access to additional or alternative support, e.g., through referrals or signposting.
Person-centred care: Care should be tailored to individuals, treating them with compassion and respect. People should be listened to, with their personal wishes and perspectives prioritised, and be able to take the lead in decisions about the care they receive. Care must make accommodations and remove barriers. It should be informed by, and sensitive and inclusive of, people’s identities and experiences. Everyone deserves support for experiences related to suicide and self-harm that makes them feel supported and that recognises them as individuals.
The report suggests the following actions in four key areas to improve care:
1) Fostering collaboration: Collaboration between services, staff, and people receiving support must be central to service design and delivery. Services need to work together in a joined-up way, collaborating with each other and the people they support e.g. improving technology and ensuring secure data sharing. Involving people with lived experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of services.
2) Prioritising inclusion: Services should adopt an inclusive, holistic approach, recognising individuality and the diverse ways people access support. A person's identity, background, or specific needs must not be barriers to high-quality care. Individuals should feel empowered to make decisions and engage openly with healthcare professionals without fear of judgment. Accessible and culturally sensitive approaches are essential for building trust and ensuring meaningful support.
3) Raising staff awareness and building confidence: Staff awareness should be raised, and ongoing training provided to boost confidence in delivering compassionate, patient-centred care. Recognising and celebrating good practice is vital, as many practitioners already provide inclusive care. The principles of 'no wrong door' and person-centred care should be integrated into existing practices rather than seen as new initiatives.
4) Supporting the workforce: Prioritising the mental health and wellbeing of staff is essential so that they can effectively support people affected by suicide. Staff need time and space to reflect on their experiences as well as support with managing the impact of providing care. This is crucial for creating supportive environments, minimising the potential impact of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma, which can impact both staff wellbeing and their ability to provide optimal care.
You can read the full report here: Suicide prevention principles: from policy to practice
Storm Skills Training's commitment to addressing these challenges
At Storm Skills Training CIC, we are committed to addressing these challenges. With over 30 years of experience, we develop and deliver high-quality, evidence-based suicide and self-harm assessment training. Our courses align with NICE Guidance and the Health Education England (HEE) Framework, enhancing skills in engagement, holistic assessment, formulation, and personalised safety planning.
Our focus is on meaningful conversations.
We ensure that people have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to go beyond just starting a conversation. Our training helps explore the root causes of distress, understand its impact, and work towards effective information sharing. We support the individual's network, help make sense of their situation, and take action through safety planning – an evidence-based intervention.
Person-centred care is at the core of our training, emphasising empathy, collaboration, and understanding unique needs. Lived experience research shows that people who self-harm or are suicidal value professionals who listen without judgment, are skilled, offer individualised care, and inspire hope. This approach improves engagement with services and treatment outcomes, leading to effective personalised plans that support long-term safety and wellbeing.
Our training encourages collaboration, skills development, self-awareness, reflection, prioritising inclusion, and supporting the workforce. We address challenges like burnout, compassion fatigue, trauma exposure, and workplace stress. Participants learn to develop their skills and knowledge, boosting confidence in their practice. Regular reflection and self-awareness aid learning, manage negative emotions, and maintain open-mindedness.
In the SPC's report, they highlight the importance of collaboration between services, staff, and the people receiving support. This collaboration must be at the heart of service design and delivery. Services need to work in a coordinated manner, collaborating with each other and the people they support. This includes improving technology, ensuring data can be shared securely, and involving people with lived experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of services.
At Storm Skills Training, we help organisations collaborate and work together by sharing a common language and building strong partnerships across a local area. We achieve this through our Partnership Licensees, where several organisations come together as Storm Skills Training licensees and share resources to deliver training in a joint way to build a consistent and confident approach to suicide and self-harm prevention across sectors. This approach aligns with the recommendations in the SPC's report.
For example, in the Manchester area, four NHS trusts collaborate to share training resources under a Storm Skills Training partnership licence. Additionally, they have recently extended their license to train colleagues across various sectors, including social care and VCSE (Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise. The flexibility of our licenses builds skills, knowledge and understanding across sectors, contributing to stronger collaboration and joined-up ways of working.
Thank you to the SPC for making this resource available to the self-harm and suicide prevention community. Although the report focuses on areas for improvement, it’s important we acknowledge and celebrate the incredible life-saving work already being done by countless professionals and volunteers in the field. Their dedication and compassion are making a significant difference every day, and their efforts deserve recognition and appreciation. But there are opportunities for us to work together, close the skill gaps in services, and enhance support to ensure robust and inclusive systems that lead to better outcomes and saving more lives.
You can view the full report here: Suicide prevention principles: from policy to practice.
