Joy, our CEO, was a guest on the BBC Radio 2 Jeremy Vine show on Wednesday 10th October, talking about trauma, suicide and the work of our Suicide Crisis Centre. Her interview is right at the beginning of the programme, starting at 08.57:-
https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/play/m0000rtw
Our CEO is a guest on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour programme
Joy, our CEO, and Katharine, CEO of Agenda, were guests on the BBC Radio 4 programme “Woman’s Hour” on 22nd August, talking about the new CQC figures which show that more women than men are dying by suicide while detained under the Mental Health Act. Joy spoke about the impact of sectioning on traumatised women and what might help reduce the risk of re-traumatisation when a person is under section.
She was also interviewed about our Suicide Crisis Centres and how our services differ from those of mental health services. She was asked to explain in particular how we work with people who have experienced trauma.
Her interview starts at around 11 or 12 minutes into the programme:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bfx5dk
Her interview was also in the weekend edition of Woman’s Hour which features highlights from the previous week’s programmes.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bfx639
24 Hours At A Suicide Crisis Centre: “The Independent” article
This article, published in The Independent this weekend, explains how we respond to emergencies during a 24 hour period at our Suicide Crisis Centre, at a time when a heatwave brings increased numbers of clients, and staff shortages within mental health services create an even greater need for our services:-
Public Policy Exchange symposium
We will be speaking alongside Madeleine Moon MP, the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on suicide and self-harm, at a Public Policy Exchange symposium in London on the 22nd May. The focus of the event is “strengthening the suicide prevention policy” and we will be looking particularly at effective strategies for reducing the risk of suicide in men. Please contact us for further details, particularly if you would like to attend.
Our CEO named in “most influential women” lists
Joy, the founder and CEO of Suicide Crisis, has been named as one of the “fifty greatest Gloucestershire women of all time” by our local newspapers in the county. Dame Janet Trotter, the Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, worked with our local newspapers to decide on the list.
She was also named as one of the “hundred most influential women in the West” by the Mirror group newspapers (Trinity Mirror).
“The Guardian” article about our Suicide Crisis Centre
Thank you to “The Guardian” for publishing a second article about our Suicide Crisis Centre. In this article, Joy (our CEO) looks at the power imbalance that exists between psychiatrist and patient within mental health services. She describes how her experience of feeling disempowered under that system impacted upon the way our Suicide Crisis Centre was set up. The article also emphasises that lived experience of mental illness should be seen as an advantage for professionals who work with people in crisis, not a disadvantage.
On social media, the most quoted line from the article is “It is entirely possible to be both a psychiatric patient and a competent professional”.
The link to the article is below:-
Reinventing Mental Health Care: Putting Patients In Charge
https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/views-from-the-nhs-frontline/2017/sep/25/reinventing-mental-health-care-putting-psychiatric-patients-in-charge-suicide-crisis-centre
Our Oxford Conference: a focus on men and suicide
At our recent Oxford conference we talked about our work and how we have achieved zero suicide. There was a particular focus on men and suicide, and we are extremely grateful to our male clients who spoke at the event. It was hosted by an Oxford University college.
Although we didn’t ask for feedback, many people who attended emailed us afterwards and their comments included: ‘inspirational and moving seminar’ ‘simply amazing, thought-provoking, inspiring and moving in every way’ ‘bowled over by the heartfelt, courageous inspirational talks’ ‘important and insightful…. what a wonderful charity’ ‘sharing unique experiences with honesty, bravery and humour’, ‘the presentations…left a profound impact on me’
Huge thanks to St Edmund Hall (part of Oxford University) for making it possible. Thanks to BBC News South for covering the event.
Letter From 10 Downing Street: The Government Gives Its Opinion On Our Work
We have received a letter from 10 Downing Street which states: “The Government appreciates the excellent work that the Suicide Crisis Centre does.” “The Department of Health is always keen to learn from best practice and often uses this to help develop national policy. Information about your important work has been received with interest.”
The Guardian article about our Suicide Crisis Centre
“We never set out to achieve zero suicide. We simply set out to do everything that we could for each individual to help them survive”.
Thank you very much to The Guardian for publishing this article about our Suicide Crisis Centre
Joy’s Contributions To Parliamentary Groups And Inquiries
Joy was invited to a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on suicide and self-harm in the House of Lords in December.
This month she has been invited to provide a further submission for the Health Select Committee inquiry into suicide prevention, following on from the oral evidence she gave in parliament last year about our Suicide Crisis Centre. This time she has been asked to comment on the Government’s updated strategy on suicide prevention.
Joy has also been invited by the Government’s adviser on suicide to meet with Health Select Committee Chair, Sarah Wollaston, in early February.