Words by Smiley Team
James’ Place - a suicide prevention charity for men in east London - have accelerated their plans to open a second centre as a virtual service for men in suicidal crisis in the hope of responding to the mental health crisis exacerbated by the pandemic.
Having planned to find a building and open a physical service in East London, James’ Place has acted more quickly to open a virtual service first, recognising the demand for suicide prevention work.
The virtual service, led by James’ Place’s London Centre Manager Maria Lee who ran the primary care mental health liaison team at the East London NHS Foundation Trust , has been running a pilot phase since June 2020. Men who are referred to James’ Place are assigned a trained, professional therapist who will deliver a specific programme designed to help men in crisis.
During this first phase, James’ Place London has been taking referrals from the A&E liaison team at ELFT. This has now been extended to the Crisis Line and urgent assessment team from 13 July, meaning that a broader range of men can access the life-saving service.
As they work towards opening a physical centre, their intention is to take referrals from a wider range of sources, including GPs, other local services, occupational health teams and student counselling services.
Ellen O’Donoghue, Executive Director of James’ Place, said:“Our work in Liverpool demonstrates the great value of therapeutic support for men in suicidal crises, and we are very pleased to be able to offer our services in London. The men who come to us are affected by a range of issues, including debt, loneliness, family breakdown and redundancy, and working with our partners in Hackney and the City, we want to be able to help as many men as possible, as quickly as we can.”
James’ Place believe that suicide is preventable. And yet, in the UK in 2018, 6,507 people died by suicide of which three-quarters were men. Suicide is still the single leading cause of death of men under 50. The Foundation was launched after the death of the founders son
Cllr Chris Kennedy, Cabinet Member for Health in Hackney, notes: “We know that far too many men die by suicide, and we also know that many have not felt able to seek support. As Suicide Prevention Lead for East London NHS Foundation Trust, I am delighted to welcome such a valuable resource to the local area at a time of great need. Strong partnerships with third sector organisations like James’ Place are a priority at ELFT, as we recognise the need for a variety of approaches in order to reach as many people as possible.”
You can read more about the new East London service for men in suicidal crises here. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch.
By Ellen Jones
