Issue - meetings

To consider and comment on the Draft Somerset Suicide Prevention Strategy.

Matthew Hibbert, Strategic Manager – Public Health, introduced the report, explaining how it had been co-produced and the structure of the strategy and consultation process. Amy Hardwick, Health Improvement Manager - Mental Health and Wellbeing, Andrew Keefe, Deputy Director Commissioning, Mental Health and Learning Disabilities – NHS Somerset, and Andy Pritchard, Chief Operating Officer – Mind in Somerset, also presented. They shared a resource with members from https://openmentalhealth.org.uk/.

During the discussion, the following points were raised:

• Statistically the rate is higher than the rest of England, an average of one a week, and there were recent events with the M5. Why do you think that is? We don’t have data that shows a reason. We have now seen a reduction in the rate for the first time since 2014.
• Sometimes as councillors you meet people who you don’t think are doing well. It would be great to have support with that. The Orange Button scheme trains people to have the confidence to have those conversations. Currently developing conversation cards which will help and list local support.
• It’s important to have physical materials. We have passed around some cards with information locally.
• There needs to be a range of ways to access support, for men especially, support for them to safely express how they feel. There is a need for 30 different doors. Public health do commission stepladder, which supports lots of different initiatives and solutions, working with a range of stakeholders. Part of it is trying to change the culture which is a challenge.
• Suicide is on everyone’s mind after M5 incidents. How big is the team and what’s the capacity? Two from public health, one on data and evidence, and two others. It’s a small group of people who are passionate and have a big impact, engage widely with public health, ICB, the NHS Trust, and VCFSE partners. While suicide rates are decreasing the number calling Mindline are significantly increasing, and our data is based on people who have died by suicide. We can’t measure the impact of the work, successful interventions or lives saved.
• It’s important to have services as well as get people talking. Pleased to see the focus on prevention. CAMHS has a high threshold for providing support. Historically that was the case with CAMHS but it is now rated outstanding. One single point of access for all mental health provision. There is a pilot at the moment for a youth crisis safe space, but it is unfunded. Can provide more detail on the work at Mind Hubs in Taunton and Yeovil. There are also teams in schools.
• Town councils may be able to support this work.

The chair thanked the presenters and invited them to return in six months with a briefing on the progress made.