Scottish online course to help health workers prevent suicide

A free online course has been developed to allow healthcare professionals, and those working with at-risk or vulnerable individuals, to gain a better understanding of suicide and ways to prevent it.

Molly Russell, 14, took her own life in November 2017. Social media firms have been told to "purge" the internet of harmful content that promotes self-harm and suicide. Picture: Family handout/PA Wire

The University of Glasgow-developed course, delivered on FutureLearn digital education platform – called ‘Understanding Suicide and Suicide Prevention Strategies in a Global Context’ – allows users to learn about the complex set of factors linked to suicide and explores suicide prevention strategies.

The educational tool has been endorsed by NHS Breathing Space, Samaritans, the British Psychological Society, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow.

A team of developers worked with experts in the field and people with lived experience.

The course tackles some of the myths that exist around the topic of suicide and offers students the opportunity to explore data and trends in their own community.

The scale of suicide and self-harm are outlined and consideration is given to how stigma influences the risk.

The impact of suicide at a personal and societal level are also considered, with a particular focus on legislation and media coverage. 

It is estimated approximately every 40 seconds a person dies by suicide somewhere in the world, which equates to over 800,000 people dying by suicide every year.

The course focuses on how to support individuals to minimise their risk of suicide attempt and looks at prevention measures. To offer a deeper insight, a number of contributors share their personal experiences.

One describes his own suicide attempt, and another outlines the impact that losing a friend from suicide had on her.

Dr Laura Sharp, Co-Course Developer, from the University of Glasgow, said: “We’ve put together this course to empower those who engage in the course to have open conversations about suicide risk and prevention, with the hope that together we can reduce suicide rates.”

Professor Jackie Taylor, President of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, said: “The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow is delighted to be able to support this important work.

“It’s vital that we provide all the support we can to those in need, and this innovative approach will add to the resources available in this vital area.”