SUICIDE PREVENTION WINS INNOVATION AWARD

UK National Health Service patients have awarded Brighton based charity Grassroots their top award for designing a mobile app called “Stay Alive” which prevents loss of
life. This achievement adds to their international LivingWorks Education Award of Excellence previously presented on world suicide day.

More than 30 innovative projects which improve the quality of care for vulnerable people and assist self-help safety were assessed and judged by a Patient Panel. The Awards are sponsored by NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups.

“Stay Alive” has been used by several thousand people across the UK. Feedback from users has been overwhelmingly positive. Comments include “Thank-you – having this saved my life” and “Thank-you, today I saved a friend”. “Stay Alive” was funded by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Network Rail and software developers Switchplane.

The content offers immediate advice to people considering suicide and to care-givers who may be able to use the information to save the life of a loved one. Stay Alive also provides bereavement support for family and friends.

The content was developed by Chris Brown’s team at Grassroots Suicide Prevention in collaboration with Emma Wadey, Director of Nursing Standards and Safety Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust which provides Mental Health services..

The award was presented at Sussex University by Patient Panellist Clive Bonny Managing Director of Strategic Management Partners who advise on health and wellbeing innovations. Clive said “Over 6000 suicides were recorded last year in the UK. However that figure excludes the substantial number of deaths reported as accidental when self-harm cannot be proved. Having experienced severe personal trauma through the loss of a close family member I can endorse this innovation as a significant life-saver which can be used
globally.”

Stay Alive mobile app is available to download on android
and iOS free of charge at

http://www.prevent-suicide.org.uk/stay_alive_suicide_prevention_mobile_phone_application.html

For more information contact Chris Brown at Grassroots
Chris@prevent-suicide.org.uk UK tele 44 (0)1273 675764
Emma.Wadey@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk
Clive Bonny Clive@consult-smp.com tele 01273 308865

ABOUT GRASSROOTS

We are a Brighton-based charity with a simple but powerful goal: that no one should have to contemplate suicide alone. We work locally and nationally with communities, organisations and individuals, helping them to become ready, willing and able to effectively support someone at risk of suicide.

Our work centres upon internationally recognised training
programmes: ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) and SafeTALK
(Suicide Alertness For Everyone).

Our experts sit on a range of local and national
strategic groups, including TASC (The Alliance of Suicide Prevention Charities)
and NSPA (The National Suicide Prevention Alliance). We constantly work to
fight the stigma that surrounds suicide and to encourage help-seeking through
our Stay Alive app and thriving social media community

Below picture left to right

Clive Bonny, Chris Brown, Emma Wadey