Bellevue Hospital says suicide prevention is a national responsibility

As the world observes World Suicide Prevention Day today, the Bellevue Hospital is encouraging homes, schools, workplaces, churches and community groups to play a more active role in recognising emotional distress and supporting persons who may be struggling.

The hospital says suicide prevention must be treated as more than a clinical issue. While hospitals and mental health professionals play an important role, early signs of distress are often first noticed in the everyday spaces where people live, learn, work, worship and connect. The hospital’s Acting Senior Medical Officer, Dr Lasilva Thomas, said communities have a major role to play in suicide prevention.

“We live in communities, whether in our homes, workplaces or schools, and the attitudes, behaviours and overall way of life of persons in these spaces can influence someone’s mental well-being,” Thomas said. “Hospitals and mental health professionals are only one part of the community. It is communities in their entirety that will make the greatest impact in suicide prevention.”