Originally published 2015 by Forward For Life

“It is only through dialogue that we can face this issue of suicide intention head on in the hope that suicide prevention will one day be seen as everyone’s business.”

The impact of suicide

Suicide: Talking about it, challenging the stigma surrounding it and discussing what can be done about it is often seen by many as a bridge too far to cross.

Suicide devastates families, communities and even whole populations. But without talking about it, we can’t reduce the stigma. Without reducing the stigma we won’t reduce the numbers. It is only through dialogue that we can face this issue head on in the hope that suicide prevention will one day be seen as everyone’s business.

In 2013, a woman named Angela Rich took her own life whilst under the care of a Mental Health Trust. Her daughter, is a GP. She has tirelessly campaigned for better procedures within the NHS to prevent such tragedies occurring in the future.

Opportunities for change

Forward For Life were approached late July 2015 by Capital and Smooth Radio. We were asked to suggest what steps Mental Health services within the NHS could put in place to prevent suicides occurring in the future.

To Forward For Life, it is a reasonable to ask what can be improved in the NHS. But maybe as big a question to be asked is “Whose responsibility is suicide prevention?” 

The interview

Excerpts from this interview were broadcast on the 4th August 2015. Above you will be able to watch the podcast of the whole interview.

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Get in touch

If you want to know more about the work we do to prevent suicide through supporting communities please email us info@forwardforlife.org or call us on 07585776800