Suicide Bereavement Quality Standards and Their Relevance

By Caroline Harroe (Harmless CEO)

The Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP) Quality Standards are a set of guidelines that define the minimum standards of service that should be provided to people bereaved by suicide in the UK. The standards were developed by a working group of experts in suicide bereavement, and they were launched in 2019.

The SASP Quality Standards cover a range of areas, including:

• Access to services: People bereaved by suicide should have timely and easy access to support services.
  
  
• Quality of services: Support services should be of high quality and should be tailored to the individual needs of the person bereaved.
  
  
• Diversity and inclusion: Support services should be accessible to all people bereaved by suicide, regardless of their age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion.

To perform against the SASP Quality Standards, a quality suicide bereavement service would need to have the following in place:

• A clear and accessible referral pathway: People bereaved by suicide should be able to access support services easily and quickly. This can be done by developing clear referral pathways with other professionals, such as GPs, social workers, and funeral directors.
  
  
• A range of support services: A quality suicide bereavement service would offer a range of support services to meet the individual needs of the person bereaved. This may include individual counselling, group support, and befriending services.
  
  
• Well-trained and experienced staff: Staff who work with people bereaved by suicide should be well-trained and experienced. They should have a good understanding of suicide bereavement and the impact it can have on people.
  
  
• A commitment to diversity and inclusion: A quality suicide bereavement service would be committed to diversity and inclusion. This means that the service should be accessible to all people bereaved by suicide, regardless of their age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion.
  
  

In addition to the above, a quality suicide bereavement service would also have the following characteristics:

• A person-centred approach: The service would be focused on the needs of the person bereaved, rather than on the needs of the service itself.
• A trauma-informed approach: The service would be aware of the impact of trauma on people bereaved by suicide, and would work in a way that is sensitive to this.
  
  
• A recovery-focused approach: The service would focus on helping people bereaved by suicide to recover from their loss and to rebuild their lives.

The SASP Quality Standards provide a framework for suicide bereavement services to assess and improve their services. By working towards the standards, suicide bereavement services can ensure that they are providing the best possible support to people bereaved by suicide.