Steve Rotheram and Luciana Berger back the Zero Suicide Alliance

Employers are being urged to encourage their staff to give up just 20 minutes of their time to take free suicide prevention training and help save a life, in an appeal backed by Steve Rotheram and Luciana Berger.

The call coincides with World Suicide Prevention day and comes from the Cheshire and Merseyside NO MORE Suicide Partnership Board (a collaboration of partners working to prevent suicide) and Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust – a member of the Zero Suicide Alliance.

Across the UK around 6,000 people die by suicide each year and every one has a huge impact on the people impacted by it and the emotional and social effects are enormous.

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:

“This is a life-saving initiative and we want to see as many people as possible complete this training over the next few months and come together on World Mental Health Day to celebrate our success. The training is simple and effective and can be done anywhere, anytime, on any device, by simply logging on to thewebsite.”

The ZSA, has developed a free, online suicide prevention course by using expertise from clinicians and those with personal experience to offer advice and provide real life scenarios to illustrate how best to approach a difficult conversation with someone who is struggling.

Luciana Berger, Labour and Co-operateive MP for Liverpool Wavertree and Mayoral Adviser on Mental Health, said:

“There is a perception that suicide is inevitable and there’s nothing anyone can do about it, but that’s just not true. No-one should feel they can’t reach out as every suicide is tragic and has a huge impact on family and friends. I would urge everyone to help make suicide a thing of the past and to ensure that the Liverpool city region is a leading light in the battle against suicide.”

Sue Forster, Cheshire and Merseyside Lead Director of Public Health for Suicide Prevention and Chair of the NO MORE Suicide Partnership Board, said:

“The NO MORE Suicide Partnership Board has a vision for Cheshire and Merseyside where suicide is eliminated and people are supported at a time of crisis. We aim to be a Suicide Safer Community accredited region and the more people who take this training, the more support we will have in ensuring that our vision becomes a reality.”