Interview for Suicide Prevention Month
27 September 2022
Topics
Content warning: suicide
As this September is Suicide Prevention Month, we’re honoured to share Amy’s story about her experience as a patient following a suicide attempt last month.
Amy’s story is about the importance for healthcare to be humanised and person-centred, whilst also highlighting how difficult it can be for health and care professionals to know what to do or say during these times.
It’s useful for anyone working in health or social care who is unsure about how best to support someone affected by mental illness or suicide.
Amy’s story is in two parts:
- In Part I, Amy talks with Katie (Patient Experience Programmes Lead) about her experience in hospital – both good and bad.
- In Part II, Amy reflects on how care for people following suicide attempts and with mental ill health could be improved.
Katie said, “I was really struck with how familiar all the failings were in Amy’s story. How acutely isolated and vulnerable you can be in a busy hospital, but also, how small the changes are which would have radically changed her experience. And none of it is about new initiatives or checklists or even staffing – it’s just about stopping for a second and really thinking about what that experience must be like for her. That’s where methods like Experience Based Co-Design can be so liberating for staff and patients alike, and lead to meaningful and sustainable improvements in care.’’
We’re incredibly grateful to Amy for sharing her story. If you’ve been affected by any of the issues raised, please call or visit the following for support and resources:
You can call free on 116 123, or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)
Call 0800 58 58 58 – 5pm to midnight every day
Call 0800 068 41 41 – 9am to midnight every day
Text 07860 039967
Mind – Information and support for people living with mental health problems.