Edge Hill project providing crucial support in mental illness and suicide

A partnership between Edge Hill University and two hospitals in Mysore, India is delivering crucial mental health interventions in the country, with the first round of training for nursing staff completed in June and more planned for January 2016.

A team from the University’s Faculty of Health and Social Care and colleagues from the CSI Holdsworth Memorial Hospital and Mysore Medical Collage and Research Institute, is supported by the Tropical Health & Education Trust (THET) as part of the Health Partnership Scheme.

To date the project has trained 120 staff champions who can now undertake mental health assessments directly on patients in hospital settings. In addition, 40 trainers were selected and trained to disseminate the training throughout both hospitals.

The training focuses on improving mental health interventions for those who have attempted suicide and/or are at a vulnerable stage in their life, in one of the worst-affected regions of the country with the world’s highest suicide rate (World Health Organisation report, 2012).

There is an acute shortage of mental health trained professionals in Mysore and with 2000-2500 people being referred to just two doctors each year after suicide attempts this is a major public health concern.

For more, visit: https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2015/10/world-mental-health-day-2015/