An Oxfordshire mental health charity is raising awareness of its multi-layered approach to suicide prevention as part of World Suicide Prevention Day on 11 September.
Response, the county’s largest independent mental health charity, currently supports up to 550 people living with serious mental illness.
It operates more than 200 shared, self-contained, and single-person houses and flats, with teams providing person-centred, trauma-informed support that helps people move towards independence and rebuild their lives.
According to NHS figures, around 19 people in the UK take their own life every day. The same data shows that the proportion of 16 to 74-year-olds reporting suicidal thoughts has nearly doubled since 2000, rising from 3.8 per cent to 6.7 per cent today.
Nicola Leavesley, CEO of Response and Chair of the Oxfordshire Mental Health Partnership, stressed that suicide prevention must extend far beyond the moment of crisis.
“Suicide prevention methods are not exclusive to the moment a person is considering taking their own life – it must begin long before a person’s moment of crisis,” said Nicola.
“Strong foundations are absolutely essential to aiding a person’s recovery, which is one of our primary objectives at Response. We achieve this through safe housing, providing stability and a purpose to a person’s life plus opportunities to connect with others and ensuring basic needs are met.”
The Oxfordshire Mental Health Partnership, which Response is part of, marks its 10th anniversary next month. The partnership brings together six organisations – Connection Support, Elmore Community Services, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxfordshire Mind, Response and Restore – to deliver joined-up support.
To mark World Suicide Prevention Day, the group will run awareness campaigns under the hashtag #ItsOkToAskForHelp.
Nicola added: “Right now, demand for the services far outweighs the resources. This highlights the urgent need to increase public awareness of practical suicide prevention strategies, such as active listening, reducing stigma and knowing how to support someone in distress.”
Further information about Response’s services is available on their website. Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should call 111, or text SHOUT to 85258 for support.
