People bereaved or affected by a suspected suicide should be given information and offered tailored support, NICE has said.
On World Suicide Prevention Day 2019, NICE has published its quality standard on suicide prevention – covering five key ways to reduce suicide and help people bereaved or affected by suicide.
The Office for National Statistics published data which showed the suicide rate in the UK has risen for the first time since 2013, with 11.2 deaths recorded as suicide per 100,000 people in 2018 - up from 10.1 in 2017.
Those who are bereaved or affected by a suspected suicide are themselves at increased risk of suicide.
Providing support after a suspected suicide can reduce this risk, especially when tailored to the person’s needs. It is important to identify people who may need support as soon as possible so that they can be given practical information and access support if, and when, they need to.
NICE has said that tailored support should be focused on the person’s individual needs. As well as professional support, it could include:
- support from trained peers who have been bereaved or affected by a suicide or suspected suicide
- adjustments to working patterns or the regime in residential custodial and detention settings
- other support identified in Public Health England’s Support after a suicide: a guide to providing local services and the National Suicide Prevention Alliance’s Support after a suicide: developing and delivering local bereavement support services.
Source: NICE 10th September 2019