NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHED

During this difficult time it’s very important that everything is done to help people stay safe and well, and to manage their mental health and wellbeing. North East and North Cumbria Suicide Prevention Network are working to ensure everything possible is done to get support and information out to people and have launched www.stopsuicidenenc.org to help with this. The need to focus on the general mental health and wellbeing of the wider population, following the national Public Health England ‘Every Mind Matters’ programme, is already recognised as a public health priority. The aim of the North East and North Cumbria Suicide Prevention Network – ‘Every Life Matters’ - is to do everything possible to stop us losing any life to suicide and complements the wider public health approach. Katherine McGleenan, NE&NC ICS Suicide Prevention Lead said: “The Suicide Prevention Network is especially focused on people in our communities who are more at risk and already struggling, and for whom the current situation poses a potential increased risk. “People who are vulnerable and finding social isolation even more difficult may be feeling there is less support available, so we are working together to make sure people are aware of and can easily access the support they need to stay mentally safe and well. Making good information easily accessible to people is a key objective of the Network and is especially important during this current crisis.” The new Suicide Prevention Network website, covering the whole north east and north Cumbria area, will provide a new community resource for people seeking help and advice about suicide and mental wellbeing, guidance for those who have sadly been bereaved by suicide, and signposting to a library of professional resources for those working in suicide prevention. The website content will be expanded by Network members over the coming weeks and months and we will discuss and agree the update and monitoring process in the next steering group.