Abstract

Written by front line professionals in the fields of nursing, mental health, prison services and the law, this text is an essential companion to the government's new suicide prevention strategy. The contributors offer a wealth of practical guidance on issues such as risk assessment and management in a range of settings, policy and the legal framework around suicide.

Exploring the links between self-harm and suicide, the authors present international approaches to training in suicide prevention for professionals and preventative initiatives targeting wider communities. They debate the legality and morality of assisted self-harm and analyse the rate and causes of suicide among specific groups, including Black and minority ethnic groups, people in custody and people with mental illnesses.

This manual provides health, social care and criminal justice professionals with all the most up-to-date information needed to make a positive contribution to suicide prevention in institutional and community settings.

`What marks out this text from others on suicide is the breadth of contexts considered in relation to the wider question of suicide. For example, there are useful sections on prisons, primary care and inpatient settings, while crucial social factors such as age, ethnicity and gender are also looked at. A range of contributors has given the text a richness of experience'.
Community Care, 18-24, August 2005
`This work sets out to contribute to the reduction of suicides by helping professionals and services respond appropriately to people at risk. It is aimed at a wide variety of professionals and others engaged in working with people who might be contemplating suicide.'
British Journal of Social Work
`This book is eminently readable and is strongly recommended to all those engaged directly or indirectly with those at risk'.
IJPNR
`The breadth of professional settings in which problems of assessing suicidal risk are examined and advice and training tools offered is a feature of some value to trainers in several fields.'
British Journal of Social Work

`This book, a wonderfully wide-ranging, holistic and practical manual for practitioners from health and social care backgrounds, aims to help suicide prevention by increasing practitioners understanding of this complex issue.

Written by two experienced mental health nurses who also have academic and policy backgrounds, this comprehensive book includes chapters from different health service sector perspectives. However, far more interestingly, it also includes legal considerations, the role of the Samaritans, issues around supporting staff after a suicide and a particularly thought provoking chapter outlining a conversation between a service user consultant and an ex-mental health nurse around issues of self-harm. The final chapter, on useful resources, is also the best I've read of this nature, and includes a range of relevant services from across the spectrum of health and social care.'

Journal of mental health
`A companion to the government suicide prevention strategy, this text offers guidance on management of suicide in different social and ethnic groups and settings. Nursing, mental health, prison and law professionals examine suicide in various groups in addition to policy and the legal framework regarding it'.
Health Service Journal 35, 2005