Fiona Brown
Communications Officer
NSPLG call for lived experience panel members
In August 2018 the Scottish Government published its new Suicide Prevention Action Plan: Every Life Matters. This sets out 10 actions to help reduce the country’s rate of deaths by suicide. It has a target to reduce the rate by 20% by 2022.
The Scottish Government’s National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG) is made up of the mental health charities Penumbra, SAMH, Support in Mind and Samaritans. The Group is inviting expressions of interest from people across Scotland to take part in the new National Suicide Prevention: Lived Experience Panel.
The new Lived Experience Panel will provide an important platform for people with lived experience of suicide to share their valuable insights and experiences by working alongside members of the NSPLG to implement the 10 actions of Every Life Matters.
The Lived Experience Panel will help to ensure that:
- People at risk of suicide feel able to ask for help, and have access to skilled staff and well-coordinated support.
- People affected by suicide are not alone.
- Suicide is no longer stigmatised.
- Those bereaved by suicide access better support.
- Through learning and improvement, we minimise the risk of suicide by delivering better services and building stronger, more connected communities.
The Lived Experience Panel will include:
- Those who have previously attempted suicide or who have experienced suicidal thoughts/ideas.
- Those who have lost a loved one to suicide.
- Family/loved ones who support someone who experiences suicidal thoughts/ideas.
- People from key risk groups.
- People from a variety of geographical areas and diverse and cultural backgrounds.
A core group of 10-12 lived experience representatives upon which the NSPLG can call upon to inform their work to deliver the Suicide Prevention Action Plan.
The Group’s Annual Report can be found here: Making Suicide Prevention Everyone’s Business: the first annual report national suicide prevention leadership group
