Adapting Digital Social Prescribing for Suicide Bereavement Support: The Findings of a Consultation Exercise to Explore the Acceptability of Implementing Digital Social Prescribing within an Existing Postvention Service

Karen Galway, Trisha Forbes, Sharon Mallon, Olinda Santin, Paul Best, Jennifer Neff, Gerry Leavey and Alexandra Pitman
Additional contact information
Karen Galway: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK
Trisha Forbes: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK
Sharon Mallon: Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies, Open University, Walton Hall MK7 6AA, UK
Olinda Santin: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK
Paul Best: School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK
Jennifer Neff: Elemental Software, Derry (HQ), Derry BT48 6HP, UK
Gerry Leavey: Bamford Centre for Mental Health, Psychology Research Institute, Ulster University, Newtownabbey BT37 0QB, UK
Alexandra Pitman: UCL Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 22, 1-11

Abstract: This paper describes a consultation exercise to explore the acceptability of adapting digital social prescribing (DSP) for suicide bereavement support. Bereavement by suicide increases the risk of suicide and mental health issues. Social prescribing improves connectedness and empowerment and can provide digital outcomes-based reporting to improve the capacity for measuring the effectiveness of interventions. Our aim was to consult on the acceptability and potential value of DSP for addressing the complexities of suicide bereavement support. Our approach was underpinned by implementation science and a co-design ethos. We reviewed the literature and delivered DSP demonstrations as part of our engagement process with commissioners and service providers ( marrying evidence and context ) and identified key roles for stakeholders ( facilitation ). Stakeholders contributed to a co-designed workshop to establish consensus on the challenges of providing postvention support. We present findings on eight priority challenges, as well as roles and outcomes for testing the feasibility of DSP for support after suicide. There was a consensus that DSP could potentially improve access, reach, and monitoring of care and support. Stakeholders also recognised the potential for DSP to contribute substantially to the evidence base for postvention support. In conclusion, the consultation exercise identified challenges to facilitating DSP for support after suicide and parameters for feasibility testing to progress to the evaluation of this innovative approach to postvention.

Keywords: social prescribing; suicide bereavement; postvention; co-design; complex intervention development; implementation science (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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