Barriers and facilitators of the suicide awareness and suicide response for primary care (SASRPC) training and safetool framework within primary care: Final report

Danwaththa Liyanage, R, Wynne, S, Ashworth, E, McIntyre, JC and Saini, P (2025) Barriers and facilitators of the suicide awareness and suicide response for primary care (SASRPC) training and safetool framework within primary care: Final report. Project Report. LJMU.

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Abstract

Background Suicide remains a major public health concern in the UK and worldwide. Over 90% of people who die by suicide have contacted primary care services in the year before their death, with more than half having a diagnosable and treatable mental health condition, such as depression. This highlights the vital role of primary care staff, especially General Practitioners (GPs), in identifying and supporting patients at risk of suicide. Method This mixed-methods evaluation investigated the Connecting with People Suicide Awareness and Suicide Response for Primary Care (SASRPC) training in Liverpool. Quantitative surveys were conducted before training, immediately after, and three months later, to assess changes in knowledge, confidence, and attitudes. Qualitative interviews were completed with four experienced trainers to explore perspectives of training delivery and impact. Results Quantitative survey data from 87 participants showed significant increase in participants’ knowledge around the topic of suicide and confidence treating suicidal patients post-training. There was no significant increase in knowledge of suicide facts and myths or participants’ attitudes towards helping suicidal patients. Analysis of qualitative interview data identified four key themes: (1) Training and Implementation - highlighting the value of interactive formats and recognition of knowledge gaps even among experienced clinicians; (2) Benefits of virtual delivery - enhancing accessibility and communication and sharing; (3) Perceived Emotional Impact and Support – the impact of treating suicidal patients on healthcare professionals’ own mental health and the need for both emotional and practical support; and (4) Future Recommendations - suggesting scenario-based learning, multimedia resources, and strategies to improve research involvement in primary care settings. Limitations Variable survey completion across timepoints limited tracking of individual changes. The three-month follow-up had insufficient N to assess long-term effects, and the study could not measure impact on suicide rates. Recommendations Both quantitative and qualitative findings indicate the need for regular reinforcement via scheduled refresher sessions. Future program development should include tailored implementation strategies for primary care settings. Future evaluations should aim to improve participant retention across all timepoints, include longer follow-up periods, and explore integrating virtual delivery with periodic in-person components to maximise accessibility while maintaining engagement.

Item Type:	Monograph (Project Report)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Suicide Prevention; Awareness; Suicide Responses; Primary Care; SAFETool Framework
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
Divisions:	Psychology (from Sep 2019)
Publisher:	LJMU
Date of acceptance:	16 July 2025
Date of first compliant Open Access:	17 July 2025
Date Deposited:	17 Jul 2025 11:07
Last Modified:	17 Jul 2025 11:07
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/26788

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