Research projects

Suicide by people in contact with drug and alcohol services in the year prior to death

Alcohol and drug misuse are key risk factors for suicide. There is currently no national study of suicide by people in contact with alcohol and drug services, and following NHS reforms, service provision has become more complex.

We are conducting a new study investigating deaths by suicide of people under the recent care of alcohol and drug services based on a methodology recommended in our feasibility study. We will undertake this by (1) linking existing data, (2) using existing data for case-control exploration, and (3) collecting and analysing clinical data from Serious Incident Reports.

The study is commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP). Further information on the study design and purpose, and how we comply with data protection obligations, can be found in our study summary and information sheet, and in our Data Protection Impact Assessment document.

Pilot real-time data collection of probable suicide deaths

We are establishing a real-time data collection of suspected suicide deaths by people under the recent care of mental health services in England – specifically, in-patients and post-discharge patients who died within 14 days of discharge. This real-time surveillance (RTS) system will focus on patients closest to care and ask for information that we need to know early to support suicide prevention efforts. This includes emerging novel methods, suicide related internet use, possible clusters, problems in care which may be systemic and particular problems that patients face.

On 1^st August 2023, we will begin piloting this real-time data collection in eight NHS Trusts in South East England only (see list below). We will be asking clinicians from these pilot trusts to complete an online questionnaire when they become aware of a suspected suicide by a patient under the care of their trust, without waiting for the inquest or for a request from us. This data collection will be extended nationally in 2024 (estimated) following feedback and learning from our pilot.

If you are a clinician working in one of our eight pilot trusts, please follow this link to further information and the online questionnaire. Frequently asked questions can be found here.

• Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Isle of Wight NHS Trust
• Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust
• Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Solent NHS Trust
• Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Surrey and Borders NHS Foundation Trust
• Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Suicide in NHS staff: a national data collection to inform prevention

We have been commissioned by NHS England to establish a prospective data collection about suicide by NHS staff, with the aim of preventing future deaths.

Some health service staff may be at an increased risk of suicide, and staff wellbeing is a priority in the context of sustained and growing pressures.

We are taking a stepped approach to establishing this data collection:

1. firstly, we are working with Greater Manchester NHS Integrated Care Board to engage with stakeholders and HR representatives across Greater Manchester as our trailblazer site to explore data availability for clinical staff;
2. we will expand our engagement to the North-West region, to pilot retrospective data collection on all suicide deaths by NHS healthcare staff over a 5-year period;
3. we will expand this data collection nationally, and further develop the data collection to collect information about non-clinical members of NHS staff who die by suicide. By learning from these tragic deaths, our aim is to improve safety and wellbeing for people working within the NHS. This work will run from May 2023 to April 2026.

Reducing suicides: Quality improvement and patient safety

We are working with experts in Quality Improvement at the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH) to support Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STPs) to strengthen their local suicide prevention quality improvement plans. This is part of a nationally recognised suicide reduction priority across Department of Health, NHS England, and an overall Mental Health Five Year Forward View recommendation to reduce the suicide rate by 10% by 2020/21.

Together with NCCMH, we are working with Quality Improvement teams in each STP to:

• review their services against established guidelines and recommendations, and improve the quality of care they offer, using bespoke data provided from the NCISH database, benchmarked against the national average;
• provide expert knowledge of suicide prevention in three priority areas – mental health secondary care, services for self-harm, and middle-aged men;
• identify and help STPs adopt and embed national evidence including NCISH “10 ways to improve patient safety” into local quality improvement plans;
• advise on local data collection and suicide prevention plans.

Read more about this collaboration on NCCMH’s Suicide Prevention National Transformation Programme webpage. The study is commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP).

In May 2019, NCISH were winners of a 2019 Making a Difference award for social responsibility.

Click here for a video explaining our work on suicide prevention.

Read our March 2020 update on the national suicide prevention programme in this blog, by NCISH researchers Nicola Richards and Cathryn Rodway.

Read a blog on our work with NCCMH to help local areas improve suicide prevention plans, by the NCISH project manager, Dr Pauline Turnbull.

Download a summary of how we help local areas improve suicide prevention plans.

A diverse range of multifaceted, novel projects have been established throughout this programme. See some examples of innovative work being carried out by local areas in the programme.

• Examples of good practice: suicide prevention initiatives

Collaborations and associated projects

We work collaboratively with national and international academic and health colleagues in the area of suicide prevention research. Our ongoing projects are listed below.