New healthcare knowledge network at work on suicide prevention
In the year preceding death by suicide, a significant proportion of individuals had contact with a healthcare professional. The actions of healthcare professionals are therefore crucial in reducing the number of suicides in the Netherlands. To achieve this, the quality of care must be improved—particularly for young people, young adults, and middle-aged men.
Among young people and young adults, the number of suicides and suicide attempts has been rising for several years. Middle-aged men face a significantly higher risk of suicide compared to other groups. Reducing suicides in these populations is possible by improving the quality of care—through better adherence to clinical guidelines, the provision of appropriate interventions, increased understanding of the barriers and facilitators to implementation, and greater involvement of close relatives and carers in the care process.
The new knowledge network, which includes experts Renske Gilissen (Universiteit Leiden) and Lizanne Schweren (113 Suicide Prevention), has received €900,000 in funding from ZonMw for an 18-month project focused on suicide prevention within healthcare. The network comprises 25 organisations, including several mental health care institutions, umbrella organisations, patient representatives, hospitals, and research institutions.
Knowledge Development, Sharing, and Application
Within this knowledge network, 25 organisations in the healthcare sector are working together to reduce suicides and suicidal behaviour among young people, young adults, and middle-aged men. They aim to achieve this by improving the quality of (mental) healthcare for these groups and their loved ones—through knowledge development, knowledge sharing, and the practical application of knowledge in tools and interventions.