Communication and Coordination

Governments the world over are taking a public health approach to preventing suicide (see, for example USA Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), and the in the Scottish Government’s current Suicide Prevention Strategy a key expected outcome is that ‘our communities have a clear understanding of suicide, risk factors and its prevention – so that people and organisations are more able to respond in helpful and informed ways when they, or others, need support.’

It is this contribution to the crucial public health approach to suicide prevention that Forth SPAN is able to make by combining our local knowledge and experience with the expertise of regional and national organisations and groups to raise awareness of the issues, support the targeting of strategic approaches locally, and advance health in Queensferry and the surrounding areas.

As set out in the Scottish Government’s Action Plan referenced above – ‘suicide prevention is everyone’s business’.

Forth SPAN is positioned uniquely within the community – as a grass-roots organisation – to coordinate and communicate the interests and needs of the community in local, regional, and national suicide prevention fora – encouraging citizen participation and feeding local perspectives into the development of wider strategies and action plans.

Finally, Forth SPAN will coordinate and disseminate free suicide prevention resources throughout the community, in places people already go (schools, businesses, and community facilities).