NSPA joins the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health

We are delighted to be able to announce that the NSPA has joined the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH), which is part of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych). The Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP) has also made the move with us. You can read the full announcement about the move on the RCPsych website.

After 13 successful years with Samaritans we look forward to working with NCCMH as we reflect on how we can continue to develop our programme and respond to the evolving needs of the suicide prevention sector. At a time when we are seeing the highest suicide rates since 1999 and 1 in 4 people in the UK have had thoughts of taking their own life at some point, working together to take action to reduce suicides is more important than ever.

Ellen O’Donaghue, Co-Chair of the NSPA and CEO of James’ Place, responding to the news: “The NSPA is at a pivotal moment in its journey, and we are delighted to be going forward with our new host, the NCCMH. We will be focusing on our mission to reduce suicide, while remaining connected to the sector, embedding voices and expertise of people with lived experience, facilitating collaboration and learning, and providing a stronger voice for change. In this vital new phase of the NSPA, we will drive forward an agenda that saves lives and strengthens suicide prevention, ensuring that the voices of those most affected by suicide continue to shape policy and practice at every level.”

The NCCMH has been working in the field of suicide prevention for several years and there is a strong alignment with the NSPA’s mission. Joining NCCMH and RCPsych at this time will help us to continue to develop a collaborative and sustainable alliance for our community into the future.

What this change means for our community

The work that we do will be continuing as normal now that we have completed the move to NCCMH and RCPsych. We remain committed to ensuring the voices of people with lived experience and our members shape all that we do. Strengthening this focus is one of our top priorities as we move forward. We’ll share more updates in the coming months as we develop our plans for the year ahead, making sure our work reflects the priorities of our members and the wider suicide prevention sector.