A suicide bereavement support service first launched in Leeds is to be rolled out across West Yorkshire.
The service, to provide proactive and timely support to people in the immediate aftermath of someone taking their own life, has been handed £173,000 by the NHS to expand to the rest of the county.
Yorkshire has one of the highest suicide rates in the country and worryingly, people bereaved by suicide are more likely to themselves suffer from severe depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or even adopt suicidal thoughts.
The new 'postvention' service will provide emotional help to support people’s reactions to the death of a loved one or friend and practical support in how to negotiate what happens next.
People will be able to self-refer, or to be referred by other people, such as funeral directors, the police, coroners, or NHS staff across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.
Counselling will also be offered to clinicians or professionals who have lost those they have supported to suicide in the course of their duties.
Postvention also addresses the isolation often felt by survivors of suicide bereavement and challenges the stigma associated with death by suicide.
Support will also be available to people who have been bereaved historically yet feel they may benefit from peer-led supports.
West Yorkshire and Harrogate (WY&H) Health and Care Partnership will now oversee the extension of The Leeds Suicide Bereavement Service, which has been running since 2015.
The cash boost comes just days after the wider suicide prevention strategy of the county was handed £114,000 to try and reduce male suicides.
Sara Munro, chief executive of Leeds and York Partnership Foundation NHS Trust, said: "The impact of suicide on families, friends, care givers and professionals cannot be underestimated.
"Postvention support is proven to be highly effective to support people in the aftermath of suicide.
"With this investment we can take the outstanding work that has been done in Leeds and make this available to all those who need it and will benefit from across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.
"As well as supporting bereaved families the programme will also importantly provide training for organisations, help staff that have lost someone to suicide and also those who work with bereaved families."
Dr Ian Cameron, director for Public Health at Leeds City Council said: "We’re delighted to hear the Partnership has received this much needed funding for a valuable service which offers comfort and support when people are most in need of kindness and understanding.
"It’s reassuring to know that the programme will reach even more people in need of specialist support.”
Rob Webster, chief executive of South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust, said: "We’re delighted to have received this much need funding to enable the Leeds model to be shared across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.
"The money will be well spent – helping people recently bereaved through the death of a loved one through suicide."
Laura Pattison, senior Postvention practitioner from Leeds Suicide Bereavement Service, said: "We are delighted to have been successful in securing this funding.
"It’s a testament to fantastic partnership working and we are eager to start providing support to people at such difficult times."
Visit our homepage for more of the biggest talking points across Leeds.
LeedsLive has launched a WhatsApp group to keep you up to date with the latest news! Click here to join and follow the instructions on your phone. Your number won't be shared with anyone else in the group.
