Communicating Staff Suicide in the NHS
Authors: Turner, G., Luce, A. and Bush-Evans, R.D.
Pages: 39-64
DOI: 10.1201/9781003501558-3
Abstract:To our knowledge, there is currently no national policy addressing NHS staff suicide. How suspected suicides are communicated within an organisation is critical, as effective crisis communication is key to managing the aftermath of such events. In response to the suspected suicides of 11 current and former employees between 2019 and 2021 at an NHS Trust in England, semi-structured interviews with 29 participants who had been affected by the loss of a colleague were conducted. The findings revealed that the Trust lacked a clear communication strategy for addressing staff suicides. Responses to each incident varied, training for staff across roles was insufficient and operational procedures were often perceived as insensitive. These results highlight inconsistent communication, the absence of clear policies and guidance and the negative effects on staff. Further nationwide research is needed to evaluate existing communication strategies across NHS Trusts and to develop a unified, effective approach for responding to staff suicides.
Source: Scopus
Communicating Staff Suicide in the NHS
Authors: Turner, G., Luce, A. and Bush-Evans, R.
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 9781003501558
DOI: 10.1201/9781003501558-3
Abstract:To our knowledge, there is currently no national policy addressing NHS staff suicide. How suspected suicides are communicated within an organisation is critical, as effective crisis communication is key to managing the aftermath of such events. In response to the suspected suicides of 11 current and former employees between 2019 and 2021 at an NHS Trust in England, semi-structured interviews with 29 participants who had been affected by the loss of a colleague were conducted. The findings revealed that the Trust lacked a clear communication strategy for addressing staff suicides. Responses to each incident varied, training for staff across roles was insufficient and operational procedures were often perceived as insensitive. These results highlight inconsistent communication, the absence of clear policies and guidance and the negative effects on staff. Further nationwide research is needed to evaluate existing communication strategies across NHS Trusts and to develop a unified, effective approach for responding to staff suicides.
Source: Manual