Coproduction within suicide and self-harm research
Research Centre for Brain and Behaviour
This research informed the design and implementation of new innovative services across the North West of England for the management of self-harm and suicide risk and has demonstrably altered practice, locally, regionally and nationally.
Dr Pooja Saini’s expertise in the creation, design and evaluation of pioneering male suicide support centre James’ Place has helped in a significant reduction in suicidal distress, a 50% reduction in hospital admissions, and the effective and ethical collection of data to inform the commission of future services. Raising public awareness of the alternatives to A&E for patients with severe depression has led to the commissioning of seven new services across the UK for people at risk of or bereaved by suicide.
Impact on the Liverpool City Region
Our partnership with Mersey Care Foundation NHS Trust, Cheshire Wirral Partnership NHS Trust, Liverpool CCG, University of Liverpool, James’s Place Charity (Liverpool), Mark McQueen Foundation Trust, Wirral Council and Amparo UK has resulted in more than 1000 patients benefitting. 265 men have been referred to James’ Place with 176 going on to engage in therapy.
Our support for Amparo, for those bereaved by suicide, has also helped fill a void in support, encouraging help-seeking and provide a ripple effect that spreads to their wider social networks.
“I am somebody who has been to different counselling in different groups in different support networks, and I’ve never, ever, ever felt comfortable…For me, it’s [James’ Place] an open space. It’s calming. It’s relaxing” – patient/user of James’ Place.