164602 - Connecting with People: Module 2-Suicide Awareness and Prevention

Suicide awareness training aims to Create empathy and challenge stigma by helping health professionals develop their understanding of suicidal behavior, suicide mitigation and promotes their role in suicide prevention. Module 1 covers safe assessment, triage, non-government and community support and the co-creation of an immediate safety plan

Patients with suicidal thoughts are not an infrequent component of presentations in general practice and present a considerable challenge to the general practitioner because it is very difficult to predict who will make a suicide attempt. There has been much published to assist the GP to identify those at risk, but little to suggest how to assist the patient in such a crisis. Research into the role of impulsivity in suicide would suggest that unless the patient has strategies to confront the suicidal thoughts themselves, they remain at significant risk. 

GPs a has a significant role in identifying those at risk and making sure that these patients have knowledge of survival strategies in case they are required in the future.