04/08/2021

Suicide Awareness Training For All Front-Line Public Service Staff

Sinn Féin have proposed suicide awareness training for all front-line public service staff.

As a private members bill is being brought through the Assembly, the party's spokesperson on suicide prevention, West Belfast MLA Órlaithí Flynn said: "This bill will complement existing mental health and suicide prevention strategies by creating a statutory duty to provide basic suicide awareness training to all front facing public service staff.

"These staff interact with the public every day, including on many occasions those in crisis. This bill will enable staff who have not yet received such training to access it so that they can recognise signs of crisis and where possible direct people to the most appropriate services.

"Suicide is devastating for an individual family but also has a huge impact on the wider community. We must look at every possible preventative measure and by making even basic training widely available, we can assist communities and complement existing efforts to save lives."


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