National Suicide Prevention Alliance proud to be part of new Suicide Prevention Consortium

The consortium, which is led by Samaritans, and also includes the Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP) and We Are 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.

Penny Fosten, Executive Lead of the NSPA, said: “We are delighted to join the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance and be part of the Suicide Prevention Consortium. With over 1000 members, and a growing lived experience network, we’re looking forward to bringing that knowledge, experience and insight to this work.”

The Health and Wellbeing Alliance is jointly managed by the Department of Health and Social Care, Public Health England and NHS England.  

To find out more, read the Department for Health and Social Care announcement.

In addition to the NSPA, the members of the Suicide Prevention Consortium are:

• Samaritans – Samaritans is a charity working across the UK and Ireland to reduce the number of people who take their own lives and help people who are struggling to cope with how they’re feeling or with life’s challenges.
• Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP) – The Support After Suicide Partnership is a UK wide network founded in 2013 to bring together national and local organisations involved in delivering suicide bereavement support across the UK.
• We Are With You – A charity providing free, confidential support to people experiencing issues with drugs, alcohol or mental health.