Suicide Prevention and Intervention Network (SPIN)

The Suicide Prevention and Intervention Network (SPIN) is a network and forum specific to suicide reduction and prevention in the Thames Valley (Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire; including Milton Keynes), which is inclusive and comprised of specialists, champions and people with lived experience of suicide and attempted suicide. It promotes the message that suicide is everybody’s business.
The aim of SPIN is to contribute to the reduction of suicide and improvement of resources for those at risk of, or affected by, suicide.

See the SPIN network’s annual report here: SPIN – Annual Report (PDF)

SPIN seeks to do this by reducing duplication by sharing initiatives and considering creative and economical ways of working together to address priority issues. SPIN supports and informs, and is informed by, local and national suicide prevention strategies and strives to influence commissioning and planning to encourage regional working.

SPIN is supported and funded through the Thames Valley Strategic Clinical Network (SCN) and therefore has a health focus. However many people who die by suicide are not in contact with clinical services at the time of their death and it is clearly understood that suicide prevention is everybody’s business, not just pertinent to health; the membership and work-plan of SPIN reflects this.

Membership of SPIN is wide-ranging and includes people with lived experience of suicide and attempted suicide, Oxford University Centre for Suicide Research, Public Health, Local/Unitary Councils, Thames Valley Police, Prisons, Education, Coroners, Thames Valley Clinical Commissioning Groups, Health & Wellbeing Boards ,Oxford Health Foundation Trust, Oxford University Health Trust, Berkshire Health Foundation Trust, Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust, Mental health service users and Third Sector representative, including: Samaritans, Mind, Rethink, Healthwatch, SeeSaw, Daisy’s Dream, Child Bereavement UK and representation from The Alliance of Suicide Charities (TASC) and the National Suicide Bereavement Support Network.

Suicide prevention and intervention network: priority areas

SPIN has identified a number of priority areas which include, but are not limited to, the following:

Contribute to the development of a support and co-ordination service for people bereaved or affected by suicide and associated training for professionals and front line staff.

• Assessing the issues and risks for middle aged men.
• Training of Emergency Department staff.
• Training and support of school nurses and teachers.
• Establishing a web resource – for the public and professionals.
• Berkshire healthcare and Oxford Health developing reader groups for inpatients and community patients in association with the Reader Organisation.
• Exploring the possibility of lobbying for a Crisis House within the SPIN area.

For more information or queries about SPIN, please contact Matt Williams (matt.williams@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk) Suicide Prevention Project Facilitator, or Karen Lascelles (karen.lascelles@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk) Suicide Prevention Lead Nurse.

Terms of Reference

ToR Thames Valley Suicide Prevention and Intervention Network (PDF)

SPIN held a conference on the 10 September, World Suicide Day

SPIN Conference Agenda 10.09.14 (PDF)

Useful links

Some of the links aligned to the conference that may prove to be useful:

• Professor Hawton showed a number of Health Talk On-Line video-clips on experiences of self-harm as part of his presentation and these can be viewed here: along with additional resources and videos.
• The Samaritans document, ‘Men, Suicide and Society ‘,as referred to in Professor Hawton’s presentation can also be accessed here: MEN, SUICIDE AND SOCIETY (PDF)