Award-winning suicide prevention system in Lancashire and South Cumbria
Date posted: 19th March 2021
This month the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) Suicide Prevention Team has been presented with a Health Service Journal Award in the category ‘HSJ Connecting Service and Information Award’ for their work on setting up the real time surveillance system (RTS).
This award recognises NHS initiatives where data sharing has made a real difference to local people. Judges look for successful implementation of systems and technologies which have enabled improvements to patient care – improving outcomes, experience and supporting patients to look after themselves better while at the same time delivering efficiencies for staff.
Louise Thomas, Mental Health Clinical Network programme manager for Lancashire and South Cumbria CS, said:
“The implementation of the real time surveillance system (RTS) has enabled us to track the number of suspected deaths by suicide in the area providing teams with the most up-to-date information. It’s also meant that we can target messages at high-risk groups, in high-risk locations and provided local organisations with a data-led approach to suicide preventions which we have never had before.
Our driving principle is that suicide prevention is ‘everyone’s business’. We have worked in partnership with public, private, Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise organisations as well as local communities and people with lived experience to change and shape our suicide prevention programme. No single organisation can tackle this important issue on its own and we must work together to prevent suicides.”
Neil Smith, Mental Health Multi-Agency Strategic Lead for Lancashire and South Cumbria ICS, said:
“I’m delighted that this suicide prevention partnership work is being recognised – it’s a very important subject area.
We continue to work hard with partners to share information, resources and learning at every opportunity which is integral to prevent suicides and improve the outcomes of people in Lancashire and South Cumbria. We plan to share our local solution and operating model nationally to help more innovative and positive work around suicide prevention continue.”