BROMLEY, Lewisham and Greenwich Mind have announced that the South East London Suicide Bereavement Service, delivered in partnership with Mind in Bexley, Lambeth and Southwark Mind and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, has been shortlisted for Best Not for Profit Working in Partnership with the NHS at the HSJ Partnership Awards, recognising an outstanding dedication to improving healthcare and effective collaboration with the NHS.
Now in its seventh year, 228 entries have been received for this year’s Partnership Awards, with 188 projects and individuals meriting inclusion on the final shortlist. The high volume and exceptional quality of applications once again mirror the impressive levels of innovation and care continually being developed across the UK’s healthcare system.
Following the thorough judging process, the South East London Suicide Bereavement Service was shortlisted, standing out as a real ‘success story’ worthy of a prized place on the panel’s shortlist ahead of the official awards ceremony to be held next year (21 March).
The SE London Suicide Bereavement Service, funded by South East London ICB, provides vital emotional and practical support to people who have lost a loved one to suicide. Those bereaved in this way are sadly at greater risk of dying by suicide themselves, so the project aims to reduce the risk of further deaths in this vulnerable group. The service offers emotional, practical and spiritual support both one-to-one and in groups. Support is person-centred, flexible, and non-judgemental while recognising the importance of managing risk effectively and compassionately.
Team members from the partner organisations work together to ensure that service users are receiving the best help for their needs, which are likely to evolve over time. This could be holistic emotional/practical support with a support worker, spiritual support with a chaplain, therapeutic support with a qualified counsellor, or a referral into secondary mental health services. Support groups and walks give service users invaluable opportunities connect with others bereaved through suicide. The service has already supported more than 350 people bereaved by suicide in SE London.
Amy Kirk-Smith, Suicide Bereavement Service Manager commented:
“We are thrilled to be shortlisted for Best Not For Profit Working in Partnership with the NHS in the HSJ Partnership Awards 2024. This shows that both voluntary and NHS organisations have a crucial role to play in supporting people bereaved by suicide. Our team work incredibly hard in emotionally demanding roles, so it is fantastic to have this recognition of the amazing work they do. None of this could have been achieved without the vision, dedication and collaboration of the partner organisations involved.
“We are so proud to have the opportunity to share our success with colleagues from across our sectors, as well as showcasing everything we’ve learnt through implementing the service.”
HSJ editor Alastair McLellan, added:
“It always gives me great pleasure to congratulate our finalists at this stage of the judging process and this year is no exception as we acknowledge the South East London Suicide Bereavement Service for being shortlisted in the category of Best Not for Profit Working in Partnership with the NHS.
“The calibre of entries left our panel of expert judges with some tough decisions to deliberate over. However, it’s always important to remember that the HSJ Partnership Awards are not just a celebration of success stories, but also a platform to shape the future collaboration within the NHS.
“We can’t wait to welcome our finalists to the awards ceremony in March and to recognise and applaud such impressive achievements across the sector.”
The selected winners will be announced during the awards ceremony at Evolution London on March 21st 2024.
The 2023 awards judging panel was once again made up of a diverse range of highly influential and respected figures within the healthcare community, including;
- Tosca Fairchild, Chief of Staff, South East London ICB
- Matthew Hopkins, Chief Executive, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
- Shabina Azmi, Chief Pharmacist, Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB
- Professor Edward Kunonga, Director of Population Health Management, NENC ICB and NECS
As well as a range of esteemed healthcare leaders from across the UK.
See the full list of nominees for the 2024 HSJ Partnership Awards.
https://www.charitytoday.co.uk/south-east-london-suicide-bereavement-service-receives-national-recognition/
