Today, the Department of Health and Social Care announced the members of the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Health and Wellbeing Alliance for 2021-24, including the new Suicide Prevention Consortium, led by Samaritans.
The consortium, which also includes the National Suicide Prevention Alliance (NSPA), Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP) and With You, aims to harness the collaborative efforts of its members to identify and prevent inequalities which lead to increased risk of suicide.
The VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance is made up of 19 members from across the voluntary sector in England. It seeks to improve the health and wellbeing of communities through activities which inform national policy development and delivery. The VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance has a particular focus on identifying and reducing health inequalities, and the Suicide Prevention Consortium will specifically examine inequalities that are increased risk factors for suicide.
We’re thrilled to join the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance as a member this year and to have this important opportunity to lead the new Suicide Prevention Consortium. Suicide is an inequality issue and suicide is preventable. We look forward to working together with our partners and people with lived experience to enhance and share insight into factors which increase the risk of suicide for different communities and, crucially, what can be done to prevent them.
Jacqui Morrissey, Assistant Director of Research and Influencing, Samaritans
The Alliance is jointly managed by the Department of Health and Social Care, Public Health England and NHS England. To find out more, see the DHSC announcement or visit the NHS England website.
In addition to Samaritans, the members of the Suicide Prevention Consortium are:
- National Suicide Prevention Alliance (NSPA) – The NSPA is an alliance of more than 1,000 organisations and individuals who care about suicide prevention and are willing to take action to reduce suicide and support those affected by suicide.
- Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP) – The UK’s postvention network, working to ensure everyone bereaved or affected by suicide is offered timely and appropriate support. They oversee NHS England’s commitment to develop suicide bereavement support in every area of England, by 2024.
- With You - A charity providing free, confidential support to people experiencing issues with drugs, alcohol or mental health.
