Issue - meetings

The report sets out the Council’s proposed Suicide Prevention Action Plan.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          agree to adopt the Suicide Prevention Action Plan and associated programmes of work set out at Appendix 1 to the report.

The Committee received a report setting out the Council’s proposed Suicide Prevention Action Plan.

The Committee considered the following matters:

a)            Revision of Action Plan Wording. In response to a concern raised by a Member, the Community Development Manager confirmed that she would revise the wording at 5.4 of the action plan to remove reference to the word ‘triage’ in favour of alternative wording.

b)            Support for Staff. The Community Development Manager explained that support for Council staff would be provided through the relevant Line Management. Robust debriefings would be provided, along with any necessary consultations with Human Resources.

c)            Training. The Community Development Manager explained that trauma-informed training opportunities would be provided for staff in order to help staff to identify and respond to trauma and provide the appropriate support for residents. She explained that in-house training would be provided, as well as the opportunity for staff to attend mental health and suicide first aid courses. She stated that the opportunity to provide training for Members would also be investigated.

d)            Identifying vulnerable Groups. The Community Development Manager explained that the Alison Todd protocol, attached at appendix 2 to the report, includes an assessment tool that looks at how the Council responds to suicidality across seven key areas. She explained that the protocol would help to inform further suicide prevention action plans and help to inform a more focussed approach to suicide prevention with respect to groups identified as vulnerable.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          agree to adopt the Suicide Prevention Action Plan and associated programmes of work set out at Appendix 1 to the report.