Issue - meetings

An appendix to this item is included in the ‘Supporting Documents’ pack.

Sue Lloyd, LBBD Consultant in Public Health, presented the report and background to the Strategy, and explained that this had initially been a joint LBBD and Havering strategy, and whilst Redbridge had not initially been interested they had now decided to join and this will now be a BHR Plan. 

The details and actions were set out in the report; however, Sue Lloyd drew attention to a number of points, including:

·  The Strategy action is also based upon CAMHS assessment.

·  The rates of suicide locally were low for London.  However, mental ill health and self-harm rates are increasing, particularly in young people, this in turn may increases the risk of suicide and potential para suicide rates in the future.

·  What we will do under the Strategy, is set out in Actions 1 to 6 (on page 64 of the supporting document pack) and how these would be reviewed.

In response to a question from Ian Winter, Independent Chair Local Safeguarding Children Board (LBBD), Sue Lloyd advised that there had been no suicide of a young person in any form of custody within the last three years.

Anne Bristow raised the issue of timescales and the potential for this Strategy and its actions being part of ‘Thrive London’ and asked if the partnership should be considering matching the 0% suicide target, which had been set by the Mayor of London.

Councillor Turner, LBBD Cabinet Member for Corporate Performance and Delivery, raised the issue of staff awareness and training of service providers to recognise the risk and need for urgent support and the pastoral role of community groups and particularly religious leaders in the community. 

Matthew Cole said that whilst the levels of successful suicide were thankfully low, he was still unsure that the correct levels of psychiatric liaison and care was available in local A&Es and what then happened to the para suicides once discharged by the A&E/hospitals.  The Chair said that it should be noted that such concerns are generic across the country and not just a local issue, however, any concerns that partners had could be passed to Public Health, so they could be co-ordinated and considered under the action plan and if necessary passed to BHRUT to be addressed.

The Chair suggested that a dashboard once a year showing the impact that all strategies had made would be useful, however, an initial six-monthly progress report for any new strategy would be welcome as it would enable the partnership to target any problems or blockages in processes early.

The Board:

(i)  Approved the Barking and Dagenham, Havering Suicide Prevention Strategy, based on the current draft attached to the report;

(ii)  Agreed that both the Plan and Strategy should be viewed as a living document and updated to reflect ‘Thrive London’ and in particular the Mayor of London’s target for zero suicide rate for London;

(iii)  Agreed that the Suicide Prevention Steering Group should implement the Suicide Prevention Action Plan; and,

(iv)  Requested six-monthly progress reports on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50