Every 40 seconds, someone, somewhere in the world, dies by suicide. For people with severe depression, it is not uncommon to think about suicide, but what is equally as concerning are those who have not been diagnosed as severely depressed, but still have such thoughts.
World Suicide day, is important for recognising those who we perceive as strong, those who we perceive as caring and constantly giving to others, and taking time to appreciate that they may be fighting their own internal battles daily, in order prevent themselves committing suicide.
For more information on the symptoms, please see the world health organisation: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2017/handouts-depression/family/en/
Latest data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) highlighted that more than 300 nurses in England and Wales took their own lives between 2011 and 2017.
These figures show that 44 nurses took their own life in 2011, 43 in 2012 and 38 in 2013. The situation peaked in 2014 when 54 nurses died by suicide; then 43 in 2015, 51 in 2016, and 32 in 2017. Previous research from the (ONS) showed the suicide rate among nurses was 23% higher than the national average, with female nurses at particularly high risk.
Dame Donna Kinnair, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said the government and NHS bodies should take a “detailed look” at the statistics and respond appropriately.
Any death by suicide is a preventable tragedy. The NHS staff put themselves in some of the most challenging situations imaginable as part of their unwavering commitment to their role and the patient populations they are caring for. It is paramount they can access the right levels of support they need too.
It has been highlighted how nurses were under increasing pressure in their workplace but claimed they were “repeatedly” ignored by their employers when they raised concerns about their mental health.
There has been a decrease in the wellbeing of the nursing profession and within the workplace, with staffing experiencing high levels of stress, shortages of colleagues, and long working hours, how can these professionals possibly offer the right level of clinically safe care to the patient population, if they are not being taken care of by their employer?
In a recent report “NHS Staff and Learners’ Mental Wellbeing Commission” published in February 2019, this gave insight into the details behind what intentions of implementation the NHS requires in order to protect its workforce from such statistics we see herein regarding nurses committing suicide.
One of the aims of Your2020Vision Ltd is to deliver to the healthcare marketplace the right systems of support, MEDI-HR® wellness and illness function, will be the enabler of such support, allowing employees to monitor and manage their mental health, and wellbeing, thus reaching out accordingly to their employer and being signposted to the right support networks, without fear of stigma or loss of professional reputation or membership.
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