Maria Payne, Strategic Lead – Public Mental Health & Adult Mental Health Systems Transformation presented this item.  Key points included:

·         Prevention needs to start at the earliest opportunity via a partnership approach with the involvement of different agencies such as schools, colleges, the prison service, NHS England and Mental Health Trusts etc. 

·         Within Thurrock there were 10 suicides in 2018 and 8 in 2017.  The low number of incidents makes it difficult to identify particular characteristics/patterns amongst suicides which would facilitate preventative actions.

·         Known suicide risk factors including relationship issues, social isolation, financial issues, legal issues, unemployment and ill health were noted in the cases reviewed.  A suicide prevention approach will therefore need to address these issues.

·         The Health and Wellbeing Board were asked to note the Maughan decision by the Court of Appeal in April 2019 which now changes the understanding of the required standard of proof required to return a conclusion of ‘suicide’ in an inquest from the criminal court standard ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ to the lower civil court standard ‘on the balance of probabilities’.  This may result in more deaths being recorded as suicide and could therefore create what could be perceived as an increase in suicide rates amongst Thurrock residents. 

·         A Suicide Prevention Steering Board has been established by Southend, Essex and Thurrock Councils to provide system-wide leadership and expertise across the Local Authority and the Sustainability and Transformation Partnership footprint on suicide prevention.

During discussions the following points were made:

·         It was acknowledged that ascertaining suicide figures for children is difficult although there is a need to consider the risk factors of suicide in children.  A suicide prevention toolkit has been supplied to schools via the Children’s Commissioning Forum.

·         Members agreed that loneliness and isolation should be considered as a potential driver for mental ill health, particularly within the 16-25 age group.

·         Members recognised the mental health of Looked After Children needed to be considered at an earlier age and that support should be provided to individuals as soon as possible.  

·         Following the Chair advising members about testing the council system it was agreed that training should be made available for council staff who may take telephone calls from people who feel suicidal (such as call centre staff) and to support individuals and families who have been affected by suicide through signposting them to appropriate services.  

·         Members welcomed guidance that Thurrock First staff had been trained to handle suicide related calls.

·         It was agreed that the report would be presented at a Community Safety Partnership meeting as an opportunity for wider discussion and input.

·         Members advised that there was a need to consider failed suicide attempts as these were not captured within the report; A&E recording may be a useful tool to achieve this.  Members acknowledged the challenges with securing data on suicide attempts. 

RESOLVED:  The Health and Wellbeing Board noted the contents of the report and agreed the following:

·         The draft Southend, Essex and Thurrock Prevention Steering Board Terms of Reference and authorise that the Steering Board has decision-making responsibility on behalf of the Health and Wellbeing Board as appropriate. Amendments to the membership would be made as per discussions.

·         To support the next steps as proposed within the report.