Suicide prevention : Reps guidance

Suicide prevention steps for NEU reps and health safety reps to take. 

  • Ensure your employer is compliant with HSE’s Stress Management Standards, and is managing stress risks in the same way as any other health and safety workplace risks
  • Run an NEU stress survey in your workplace by emailing [email protected] and requesting a stress survey. Give the name of your school and the date you would like your survey to close. When you receive your results, present the evidence to management. The employer has a legal responsibility to undertake a stress risk assessment and implement control measures to remove the causes of work-related stress.
  • Download the NEU Ofsted risk assessment guide and forms and encourage management at your school to use them to protect staff from harm caused by Ofsted. Reps should be kept fully consulted throughout the process.
  • Encourage your employer to adopt fair and supportive absence policies. Sickness absence policies that are punitive and unfair do not support staff who are struggling with work-related stress and other mental health issues.
  • Encourage your employer to adopt Reducing the risk of suicide: a toolkit for employers (Business in the Community/Samaritans/PHE).  This is a highly comprehensive toolkit worth sharing with your employer. It includes guidance on suicide prevention strategies, identifying at-risk employees, responding to warning signs, postvention, and additional resources.
  • Sign yourself up for mental health training Organising around mental health course, available to safety reps and run by NEU Training. 

Work, suicide and mental health

The suicide of a colleague is a tragic event that, thankfully, most union representatives and local officers will never have to face.

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