Dr Rory McGill, Sefton Council’s Director of Public Health, recently spoke at a national webinar about how Sefton and its partners are working together to help prevent suicide and support people’s mental health.
Speaking at the event organised by the Local Government Association during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, he explained that Sefton works closely with organisations across Cheshire and Merseyside.
Dr McGill said preventing suicide is not something one organisation can do on its own. Councils, the NHS, community groups, schools, transport providers and local people all have a role to play in spotting when someone may need help and making sure support is available.
He described how the nine councils in Cheshire and Merseyside work together through the Champs Public Health Collaborative. By sharing information and learning from each other, they can spot concerns earlier and help people get support more quickly.
Dr McGill explained that preventing suicide means looking at the wider issues that can affect people’s lives. These include poor mental health, loneliness, addiction, poverty and feeling isolated from others.
He highlighted Sefton Council’s We’re Here campaign, which helps residents find mental health and wellbeing support. People can scan QR codes displayed in places such as cafés, pubs, shops and hairdressers to access a simple online directory of local services.
The campaign was developed with local partners and people who have personal experience of mental health challenges, helping to make support easier to find when people need it most.
A key message from Dr McGill’s presentation was the importance of listening to people with lived experience.
He said people who have faced mental health difficulties, had suicidal thoughts or lost someone to suicide can help organisations understand what support works best and how services can be improved.
He also stressed the need to make sure support reaches people who may face extra challenges, including LGBTQ+ communities and people affected by addiction. He reminded attendees that men remain at a higher risk of suicide.
The main message from Dr McGill’s presentation was simple: suicide prevention is everyone’s responsibility.
By working together, listening to local people, sharing information and making support easy to access, communities can help save lives and make sure no one has to face difficult times alone.
After the event Dr McGill said:
“We are doing some good work in Sefton and across the region on preventing suicide and supporting people’s mental health and it was good to have the opportunity to showcase that nationally in the webinar.
“And I understand it was well received with feedback showing 100% thought the information would be helpful for them and their authorities alongside a 100% satisfaction rate for the event overall.”
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