Get access to new and key existing publications related to suicide prevention across the UK and beyond. Contact us if you think a publication should be listed here.

New Publications

Zero Suicide Alliance – Special Report: State of the Nation, Crisis Services in England (May 2022)

A comprehensive report that explores the provision of crisis services in England.

Understand more about mental health crisis, the national policies in place, the services available and the extent to which they are functioning, including the data recording and reporting practices in place. Our findings are underpinned by audit work and data insights using our Suicide Prevention Resource Map.

The report also provides recommendations for action, opportunities to utilise digital solutions, and highlights examples of best practice to help support people before, during and after experiencing a mental health crisis.

Zero Suicide Alliance – Special Report Appendices (May 2022)

Supporting audit reviews for the 'Special Report: State of the Nation, Crisis Services in England' to understand the who, why, when, what, how and where of crisis services.

Zero Suicide Alliance – Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on presentations to crisis services (February 2022)

A literature review undertaken by our research and development team in August 2021 as commissioned by the London Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) Clinical Network.

The review investigates the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on people's mental health, access to the care they need, and forecasts of who will be more likely to need care in the future.

Zero Suicide Alliance – Share Report (August 2021)

This report expands upon the Department of Health and Social Care’s statement published in 2021 on the legal position of balancing an individual’s right to confidentiality with the sharing of information to prevent harm and protect life.

The key aim of this report will help you as a practitioner feel adequately trained and equipped to seek consent and engage with family, friends and carers on concerns of mental illness and risk of suicide.

Includes clinical scenarios to aid your decision making as a mental health practitioner.

Existing Publications

National Suicide Prevention Resources

Department of Health and Social Care – Suicide prevention: Fourth annual report (January 2019)

Latest report published by the Department of Health and Social Care reviewing actions taken to prevent suicides in England during 2017 and 2018.

Department of Health and Social Care – Suicide prevention: Cross-government plan (January 2019)

Latest report published by the Department of Health and Social Care outlining how the government plans to work with the NHS, local government and the voluntary sector to reduce suicides.

Local Suicide Prevention Resources - England

Public Health England and the National Suicide Prevention Alliance – Local suicide prevention planning: A practice resource (September 2014)

A document that outlines how local authorities can create a local suicide prevention plan. Includes how to:
• Develop a multi-agency suicide prevention partnership
• Make sense of local and national data
• Develop a suicide prevention strategy and action plan

Samaritans and University of Exeter – Local Suicide Prevention Planning in England: An independent progress report (May 2019)

Joint report detailing the first ever nation-wide view of suicide prevention planning within local authorities in England.

Suicide Prevention Resources - Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland

Welsh Government – Suicide and self harm prevention strategy 2015 to 2022 (July 2015)

Report outlining actions to reduce rates of self-harm and suicide, and how people can be supported to prevent incidences of self-harm and suicide in Wales.

Scottish Government – Suicide prevention action plan: Every life matters (August 2018)

Report outlining the new action plan to reduce suicide rates in Scotland, continuing the work of the 2013-2016 suicide prevention strategy.

Northern Ireland Department of Health – Protect Life 2: Suicide prevention strategy (September 2019)

Series of reports outlining the long-term strategy (2019-2024) for reducing suicides and the incidence of self-harm in Northern Ireland.

Suicide Prevention Resources - International Examples

Suicide Prevention Resource Center – Effective Suicide Prevention: Getting started

Offer a prevention model designed in the US to help develop and implement suicide prevention efforts in any setting.

Action Alliance on Suicide – National Strategy for Suicide Prevention

National strategy published by the U.S. Surgeon General and the Action Alliance to work towards preventing suicide in the US.

National Suicide Prevention Alliance Resources

Below you can gain access to a range of resources and publications published by the National Suicide Prevention Alliance (NSPA). Alternatively, visit the NSPA website directly. 

Guidelines for reporting on suicide

Samaritans' media guidelines

Get access to a range of Samaritans' resources to learn more about how to report suicide in keeping with industry codes of practice, supporting the highest standards of coverage of suicide.