Suicide Prevention StrategyAppendices

Appendix 1: Useful resources & support

Internal resources & support mechanisms

There are a number of different resources and support options available to staff and students, both internally within the university, as well as outside of the university.

Support for students

Support for staff

Report & Support

Report & Support is a facility where anyone can disclose behaviours or issues they believe puts the safety of the Strathclyde community at risk.

PAM Assist Wellbeing App

The University provides an employee assistance programme through PAM Assist. PAM Assist allows staff and students to download an app which supports all aspects of wellbeing. 

External Support

Samaritans

We’re waiting for your call. Whatever you’re going through, a Samaritan will face it with you. 

You can contact Samaritans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
PAPYRUS HOPE LINE247

Lines are open 24 hours every day of the year (weekends and bank holidays included).

Our suicide prevention advisers are ready to support you.
BreathingSpace (NHS 24 Mental Health Hub)

Breathing space is a free confidential phone service for anyone in Scotland feeling low, anxious, or depressed.

Lines are open:

  • Monday to Friday 6pm til 2am
  • Saturday to Sunday, 24 hours 
Chris’s House A safe environment where people in or approaching a suicidal crisis can have a safe place.
The Canmore Trust Creating safe spaces for lives impacted by suicide.
  • Text ‘Canmore’ to 85258
SHOUT Shout is a free, confidential and 24/7 text messaging service for anyone in the UK who needs support. If you are struggling to cope and need to talk, our trained Shout Volunteers are here for you.
  • Text ‘Shout’ to 85258
CALM

Campaign against living miserably (CALM) offers suicide prevention, helpful for anyone affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts.

You'll find links to a live chat and WhatsApp contact details on the website.

The helpline is open 5PM - midnight.
SOBS

Survivors of Bereavement by suicide (SOBS) is an organisation that offers peer-led support to adults impacted by suicide loss.

The support line is open every day from 9am til 7pm.
Suicide Prevention Scotland Find suicide prevention support around you.

 
Think Positive

The Think Positive Hub works to create a more joined up student mental health support section and to improve student well-being.

The hub provides links to a number of resources to support students and staff dealing with their own or someone else’s suicidal thoughts or behaviours.

 This hub does not provide direct support, but lists a number of different organisations.
Mental Health Services at NHS 24

The NHS 24 Mental Health Hub can be accessed by calling 111 and choosing the mental health option.

This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Appendix 2: University of Strathclyde Knowledge & Skills Framework for Suicide Prevention

Enhanced level

Available to all but recommended for those who may have more intense contact with those experiencing distress or suicidal crisis and who may be required to carry out role-specific interventions. 

Course Target group Method Duration
CAMS Collaborative Assessment and management of Suicidality) Disability and Wellbeing - Early Intervention Staff Online TBC
ASIST Applied Suicide intervention training All staff and students In-person Two full days
Understanding and Preventing Suicide: Module 3-4 Core psychological interventions for suicide prevention | Turas | Learn (NHS Scotland) Available to everyone with a focus on those who are CAMS trained Online 30 minutes per module

Skilled level

Available to all ‘non-specialist’ staff, assignment workers and students who may have contact with people at risk of mental ill-health, self-harm or suicide. 

Course Target group Method Duration
safeTALK All staff and students  In-person  3.5 hours
Suicide Contagion Training (Developed by NHSGGC) Staff on a selected basis In-person  1.5 hours
Understanding and Preventing Suicide: Module 2 Core psychological interventions for suicide prevention | Turas | Learn (NHS Scotland) All staff and students  In-person 30 mins

Informed level

Available to our whole student, assignment worker and staff population as a basic level of awareness that can contribute to the improvement of mental wellbeing and the prevention of suicide.

Course Target group Method Duration
Mental Health and Suicide awareness Myplace module for staff and students (This includes ‘Ask Tell Respond’, adult resource. All staff and students Online 40 minutes
Understanding and Preventing Suicide: Module 1 Core psychological interventions for suicide prevention | Turas | Learn (NHS Scotland) All staff and students Online 30 minutes
Wave after Wave (Suicide Bereavement Training All staff and students In-person 3 hours
SuicideTALK All staff and students Online 1.5 hours

Appendix 3: Myths & facts about suicide

Myth Fact
Talking about suicide encourages it. Talking about suicide can save a life by encouraging someone to seek help. It validates to the person that it is something they can share with others.
People who talk about or threaten suicide are attention-seekers. People who die by suicide have often told someone that they do not feel life is worth living. Someone may talk about suicide to get the attention they need while in distress. It’s important to take anyone who talks about feeling suicidal seriously.
Suicide is a choice, and it’s not preventable. Suicide is preventable, and often people feel suicidal during times of extreme stress or isolation. Suicidal thoughts can be interrupted and can pass with the correct support in place.
Only people with mental disorders are suicidal. Suicidal thoughts are common. One recent study highlighted up to 25% of students have felt suicidal. Only 1 in 3 people who die by suicide have reached out to mental health services for support, so it’s crucial that training is rolled out across communities and not just services.
If a person is serious about killing themselves, there’s nothing you can do. Often, feeling suicidal is temporary, and with the correct support, people can and do recover. Being able to listen and have a conversation about suicide is lifesaving. Please refer to Appendix 2 for a range of training that can equip someone with the skills and confidence to have a conversation with someone about suicide.
Most suicides happen without warning. There are often warning signs before a suicide attempt.

Appendix 4: Compassionate language around suicide

The information below is to be used as a guide. Some people bereaved by suicide may choose to use language in the ‘less helpful’ section because they relate to it or find it familiar. We should respect the way those bereaved by suicide choose to talk about it. The main aim is encouraging people to talk.

Any language that recognises the possibility of change and recovery is beneficial. Hope is vital. It keeps people alive.

Less helpful More helpful Explanation
Avoid sensationalising or normalising suicide Remain sensitive and factual in all conversations Sensationalising or normalising suicide may put others at risk
Never reference the method of suicide in any conversations Do not be afraid to use the term ‘suspected suicide’ and avoid euphemisms Excessive information or imagery may put vulnerable people at risk if they over-identify with the person who has died
Speculating about reasons for or circumstances surrounding the suicide Be respectful to the family and don’t speculate The family have the right to privacy and speculation may also impede ongoing investigations
Commit or committed suicide Died by suicide Suicide is a cause of death and should be treated as such. Commit is stigmatising and outdated language with connotations of illegality, shamefulness, and sin
Self-harmer Person who self-harms ‘People first language’ recognises and values the person first and foremost. Self-harm may be a way in which someone copes, but it is not who they are
Unsuccessful Attempted suicide Any attempt should be taken seriously. We need to recognise distress and provide appropriate, timely and compassionate support. Any notions of ‘failure’ don’t contribute to that

Appendix 5: Glossary

Term Definition
Suicide Death resulting from an intentional, self-inflicted act.
Safety plan A tool for helping someone develop coping strategies to manage suicidal thoughts or plans. It can include what and who may help someone who is experiencing a suicidal crisis.
Lived and living experience The knowledge and understanding of having lived or to be currently living through something. In relation to suicide, lived or living experience includes those bereaved by suicide, those who may be experiencing a suicidal crisis or those who have been previously impacted by suicide, suicidal thoughts, plans, or actions.
Prevention Prevention aims to catch people before they start planning a suicide or attempt it. It requires a clear approach aiming to change the culture using a whole-university approach.
Intervention The action of providing support or services to produce a different outcome. In the case of suicide prevention, it is to work with a person experiencing suicidal thoughts to help them identify reasons why they may want to keep safe, to agree a plan for doing so and to engage further support as required. 
Postvention The timely, appropriate, and compassionate support given following a death by suicide. 
Capacity building The United Nations define capacity building as ‘the process of developing and strengthening the skills, instincts, abilities, processes and resources that organisations and communities need to survive, adapt, and thrive’.
Contagion Death by suicide may trigger suicidal thoughts and feelings in some other individuals and may increase their risk. This is also known as suicide contagion.
Cluster A cluster is usually three or more deaths that occur unexpectedly closely in terms of time, place or both. In a University setting, two suicides occurring close to each other may indicate a cluster and should be taken seriously. Public Health Scotland has issued guidance around suicide clusters and contagion.

Appendix 6: Suicide Safer working groups

Our Suicide Safer working groups are chaired by Dr Susan Rasmussen, who oversees the project management of the suicide safer workstreams and strategy.

Meetings are every second month, and the aim is to build suicide prevention into the operational running of the University.

If you'd like to become part of the groups, please email us on suicide-safer@strath.ac.uk.

  • The Student Union
  • Disability and Wellbeing ‘Early Intervention Team’
  • Faculties of Science, Engineering, Business & Humanities and Social Sciences
  • University Security Team
  • University Accommodation Team
  • Human Resources
  • University Library
  • Strathclyde Sport
  • Students and Staff with lived/living experience of suicide
  • Internal Communications
  • Safety, Health and Wellbeing
  • Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
  • Chaplaincy
  • Estates
  • Careers

Appendix 7: External Advisory Group

We'd like to extend our warmest thanks to our External Advisory Group (EAG), who have supported us throughout the development of this strategy. The group will continue over the next two years to advise on the implementation, operational delivery, and evaluation of our work. Measuring the impact of this work was one of the key elements of our strategy that the EAG felt strongly about. 

Name Organisation
Tony McLaren, Chair National Coordinator, Breathing Space (NHS 24)
Rory O’Connor Professor of Health Psychology and Suicidal Behavioural Research Laboratory Lead, University of Glasgow 
Katie Endacott CEO, Nightline
Trevor Lakey  Health Improvement & Inequalities Manager – Mental Health, Alcohol and Drugs, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde 
Christine Towers Community Link Worker, Townhead Health Centre
Fiona Drouet CEO, Emily Test
John Gibson CEO, The Canmore Trust
Lee Knifton Director, Mental Health Foundation Scotland & Northern Ireland, Co-Director Centre for Health Policy, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
Dr Ian Marsh Reader, School of Allied and Public Health Professions & Suicide Safer Project Lead - Canterbury Christ Church University 
Geoff Rickson Postvention Advisor, Samaritans (Step by Step service)
Rosie Allister Postvention Advisor, Samaritans (Step by Step service)
Elizabeth Boyle Postvention Advisor, Samaritans (Step by Step service) 
Nicola Reed Director of Client Services, Cruse Scotland 
Ciara Queen Community Development Officer, PAPYRUS 
Kimberly McNicol Mental Health, Public Health & Suicide Prevention, Police Scotland
Jenny Ferguson Children and Young People Delivery Lead, Suicide Prevention Scotland