The Newsletter aims to keep you informed about our ongoing projects, and features recent research events and publications, as well as interviews with team members.
If you would like to learn more about any of our projects, publications or events, please email infonsrf@ucc.ie.
With thanks to the team for contributing content, and to Sofia and Niall for their editing and design skills.
Yesterday, our team held a fundraising tea and coffee morning, a HUGG in a Mug Moment, with donations going to HUGG, a suicide bereavement charity which provides vital support to people navigating the loss of a loved one to suicide.
The NSRF and HUGG have been working together since 2020.
Our first collaborative project examined the demographics and profile of individuals bereaved by suicide who were attending the HUGG peer-support groups in terms of psychological wellbeing and grief experiences.
We also collaborated on Ireland’s first large-scale national study of people bereaved by suicide. This study, funded by HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention, aimed to examine and understand the profile and needs of those bereaved by suicide. Over 2,400 people contributed to the survey, highlighting the need for those bereaved by suicide to tell their story and to have their voices heard.
The findings from this survey provide invaluable insight into the experiences of people bereaved and affected by suicide, the impacts on their lives and the supports received following their loss. The findings also illustrate the specific challenges unique to suicide bereavement and have important implications for support and service provision.
We are incredibly proud and excited to present our new Strategic Plan – Leading Research, Shaping Change, 2025 – 2030, which was launched today in UCC.
Dr Eve Griffin, CEO National Suicide Research Foundation, speaking at the launch of the National Suicide Research Foundation Strategic Plan, 2025 – 2030
Our Strategic Plan outlines key priority areas and research topics to guide our organisation over the coming six years. It also sets out our revised vision, mission and values, building on the consistent and high-impact work by the NSRF over the past 30 years.
The launch of our Strategic Plan today reflects the commitment of the NSRF to deliver high quality and innovative research and to uphold our organisational values.
We wish to thank each and every person who contributed to our new strategy, and all those who support our work.
PROSPERH: Promoting positive mental and physical health in changing work environments
We are very excited to be involved in PROSPERH, an innovative project which aims to improve physical and mental health in workplaces.
Ireland is one of 16 countries participating in the project, which is funded by the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023 – 2028.
Why is a project like PROSPERH needed?
In recent years there have been rapid changes in how we work. A recent Flash Eurobarometer survey found 46% of workers reported being under severe time pressure and work overload, 27% reported work-related stress, depression and anxiety and 30% reported bone, joint, muscle problems or pain caused, or made worse, by work.
Workplaces as a health-promoting environment
PROSPERH will support workplaces to prevent, or better manage, work-related physical and mental health conditions and prepare them for current and future changes to work environments.
To learn more
Watch our video to learn more about the work we are doing, visit the PROSPERH page on our website and the PROSPERH website to keep updated.
This new year, as always, the NSRF team will continue our mission to ensure that suicide prevention activities, in Ireland and globally are informed by high-quality research and data.
Here are some highlights we anticipate:
The launch of our Strategic Plan 2025-2030 in February
Commencing new research projects, such as the EQUALISE project, which will examine the role of social inequalities in youth self-harm and suicide. Funding for this large-scale research programme was recently awarded to Dr Elaine McMahon.
In addition, we look forward to further close collaboration with our colleagues and partners this year. We appreciate your continued support and dedication. Together, and through our impactful research, we can support the reduction of suicide and self-harm in Ireland, and globally.
Our SAMAGH project (Self-harm Assessment and Management in General Hospitals) is an innovative training programme designed to improve the assessment, management annd support of high-risk self-harm patients.
The training is in two parts:
An E-Learning course
Face-to-face simulation training
We have delivered the training to many types of healthcare professionals, particularly clinical nurse specialists, psychiatry registrars and non-consultant hospital doctors, in General Hospitals across Ireland.
As well as delivering the SAMAGH training, we also undertake evaluation to assess it’s impact.
We ensure our training is CPD approved for by relevant bodies and certificates are issued to all participants.
If you are interested in learning more, or in taking part, please watch our information video, visit our SAMAGH page or contact us.
Our research team, with funding support from the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention, has designed a comprehensive suicide prevention training module for undergraduate health and social care students.
The aim of the training is to give students the knowledge, skills and empathy essential for managing and supporting individuals at risk of suicide. Importantly, there is an emphasis on self-care and wellbeing for the students themselves.
Watch our new video, which explains why the training is needed and what is involved.
The module has now been piloted to 200 health and social care students across University College Cork and University College Dublin. The insights gained from this pilot will inform future iterations of the content and contribute to the development of a train-the-trainer programme.
By implementing a structured training module, we hope to bridge the gap in current educational offerings and ensure that future health and social care professionals are prepared to support individuals at risk of suicide.
The research team would like to extend their deepest gratitude to all our collaborators. Your dedication, expertise, and support have been invaluable throughout this work.
A very special thanks also to our research participants, for their time, engagement and commitment to attending each session!
Our 5th annual World Mental Health Day Seminar took place on Thursday last week. Insightful conversations and innovative discussions abounded in the Dr Dora Allman Room in UCC as we heard from hugely informative national and international speakers.
We came together to share our experiences and our research related to mental health, self-harm and suicide in celebration of World Mental Health Day 2024.
Dr Shane Mc Inerney delivers his Keynote Presentation
Prof Alexandra Pitman from the University College of London Division of Psychiatry and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, delivered the Dr Michael J Kelleher Memorial Lecture on ‘Temporal risk factors for suicide: anticipating & mitigating risk’.
Our Keynote Speaker, Dr Shane Mc Inerney, from the University of Galway and National Clinical Lead for Self-Harm and Suicide Related Ideation, presented ‘Findings from a Safety Planning Group Interventions and Updates on the National Clinical Programme for Self-Harm and Suicide related ideation.
Left to right: Dr Eric Kelleher, Prof Alexandra Pitman, Dr Eve Griffin, Dr Shane Mc Inerney, Dr Margaret Kelleher, Prof Ella Arensman
In addition, we held three Masterclasses on:
Engaging contributors in Lived Experience Research, facilitated by Dr Aileen Callanan and the NSRF Lived Experience Panel
Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention in the Workplace, facilitated by Prof Ella Arensman and Dr Mallorie Leduc
Interventions for specific subgroups who engage in self-harm, facilitated by Dr Mary Kells and Dr Eric Kelleher
Masterclass
This Seminar was organised by the NSRF, in particular members of the C-SSHRI team. C-SSHRI is a research community specific to suicide and self-harm, which aims to facilitate collaboration between researchers, help with disemmination of research findings and raise awareness of our research.
The C-SSHRI Network is always open to new members – you can learn more here.
With thanks to the Higher Education Authority of Ireland and the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention for their support of our event and of C-SSHRI.
With a few of our current projects exploring this exact topic, mental health in the workplace is a very timely theme for the NSRF. For example, PROSPERH; a Horizon Europe-funded research project which began in January of this year.
To increase awareness of mental health in the workplace, and to showcase the research progressing in this area, we are planning a one-day Seminar in collaboration with the Higher Education Authority and the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention.
In keeping with our previous annual World Mental Health Day events, this Seminar will include the Dr Michael Kelleher Memorial Lecture, as well as a Keynote Lecture and Research Masterclasses.
The list of speakers will be announced soon, so keep an eye here and on X for updates.
Update: We have now reached capacity for registration. If you would like any further information, please email infonsrf@ucc.ie
