11 April 2024
Exploring the support pathway for alcohol issues and suicidality.
We wanted to better understand different support journeys exploring what has worked, and what hasn't worked so well.
With our partners in the Suicide Prevention Consortium, we conducted a survey of people with lived experiences of these issues, and interviewed five of them to find out more.
This project builds on the SPC’s previous work, when we repeatedly found that there are still many barriers stopping people from accessing mental health and alcohol services. We wanted to identify in more detail what these barriers are, how they appear to those experiencing them, when they are experienced, and how they can be overcome.
The report highlights the importance of the “no wrong door approach”. Too often, people are still turned away when healthcare professionals perceive them to be under the remit of another part of the system. We also heard that stigma and feelings of shame are common barriers to accessing support.
The report includes a visualisation of one participant's support pathway, which reflected many of the barriers and complexities of people’s experiences.