Adapting Digital Social Prescribing for Suicide Bereavement Support
Project Title |
Adapting Digital Social Prescribing for Suicide Bereavement Support |
Research Focus: |
Chronic Illness and Palliative care
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Funder & Dates |
Medical Research Council, Proximity to Discovery Funding |
Principal Investigator or Primary Supervisor (if PhD project) |
Dr Karen Galway |
Co-Investigators or additional supervisors |
Dr Sharon Mallon, Lecturer (Mental Health) Open University, Dr Paul Best, Lecturer in Social Work, QUB, Dr Olinda Santin, Lecturer in Health Sciences, QUB
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Research Fellow(s) or PhD Student |
Dr Trisha Forbes PDRA |
Name & Institution of Collaborators |
Dr Alexandra Pitman (University College London) Prof Gerry Leavey (Ulster University) |
Name of External Partner Organisations |
Elemental Software |
Description of Project
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When a person dies by suicide, friends and relatives experience a complex and potentially devastating period of grief and adjustment, involving high risk of developing mental health problems including suicidal ideation. Research indicates that supporting people in this situation is difficult for a variety of reasons including identification of needs, help seeking complexities and access to appropriate care.
Researchers based in the Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation at Queen’s University Belfast and the Open University have teamed up with a leading software company, Elemental Software who provide digital solutions for social prescribing. We will use a co-production model of engagement to consult with support providers and people bereaved by suicide, in order to explore the potential of digital social prescribing to improve support for people bereaved by suicide. Social prescribing is a way of connecting resources, people, programmes, partners and strategies, so that we can support those in need. It embraces an holistic approach, providing options that are not usually available through the traditional medical and psychological models of support.
The seed funding will be used to explore this issue and seek further funding to test a system that could help connect people to services after a suicide bereavement.
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Image(s) for Website:
e.g., photograph of PI, Project Team, Partner Logos; any other images associated with the project.
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Links/URLs to external pages, e.g., study webpage, reports, publications etc. |
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Any other relevant information |
Funding granted from the MRC Proximity to Discovery Award
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