Practise Hope – supporting mental health in Primary Care

A bold, inventive primary care pilot to improve how 10 – 25-year olds are helped by their local surgeries when they are suicidal or self-harming, is now being embraced by Suicide Prevention Leads at local authorities around the country.

‘Practise Hope’ invited surgeries in Brighton and Hove, Dartford and the Woking area to engage with children and young people through surveys, focus groups and even texting to seek their views on how they could be better supported. One clear message was that children and young people did not know that their local surgery could help them with mental health issues.

The 18-month pilot received funding from HEE and involved working with three local Mind offices and Olly’s Future suicide prevention charity.

A ‘roll out’ ‘Practise Hope training is now being developed to teach others how to deliver it and supply them with all the materials needed. Warwickshire and Coventry County Council will be the first to do so, working with local surgeries.

Patients Carer Lead for Practise Hope is Ann Feloy, founder of Olly’s Future in memory of her son Oliver who took his own life aged 22. Ann worked with Dr Sam Fraser, Clinical Lead, to develop the pilot and create two on-line training sessions – a 60 minute one for clinicians and a 90 minute one for non-clinical staff. These will also be delivered, as part of ‘roll out’ Practise Hope.

Ann said: ‘At the very heart of Practise Hope is my son Oliver. As part of his legacy, I want to see a Practise Hope Suicide Prevention Champion in every surgery to help children and young people who are growing up today in such uncertain times.”

For more information contact, ann@ollysfuture.org.uk at Olly’s Future.