FOI2026/1853

Please provide recorded information held by the Integrated Care Board, including recorded information inherited from predecessor Clinical Commissioning Groups where held, covering the period 1 January 2018 to the date of this request.

This request concerns suicide prevention training commissioned, funded, endorsed or otherwise overseen by the Integrated Care Board, whether delivered internally or by external providers.  

Please provide:

1 Copies of any evaluations, reviews or assessment reports relating to the

    effectiveness of suicide prevention training.  

2 Details of any audits undertaken to assess whether suicide prevention

    training resulted in changes to clinical practice or service delivery.

3 Details of any outcome measures, performance indicators or other metrics

    used to assess the effectiveness of suicide prevention training.

4 Copies of any reports, papers  presentations or minutes submitted to the

    Board of any governance committee (including but not limited to Quality

    Committees, Patient Safety Committees, Clinical Governance Committees

    or Mental Health Programme Boards) concerning:

    *  evaluation of suicide prevention training

    *  outcomes following implementation

    *  effectiveness of commissioned training

    *  recommendations arising from evaluation.

5 Copies of any commissioning specifications, contracts or service

   requirements requiring providers of suicide prevention training to undertake

    evaluation, audit or outcome reporting.

6 If no evaluations, audits or outcome reports are held, please provide any

    recorded information describing how the Integrated Care Board obtains

    assurance that suicide prevention training it commissions, funds or oversees

    is effective or represents an appropriate use of public resources.

For each document disclosed, please provide the date and the committee or body to which it was presented, where recorded.

If any information is withheld, please specify the exemption(s) relied upon and provide all reasonably severable non-exempt information.

If any part of this request is likely to exceed the appropriate cost limit under Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act, please provide advice and assistance under Section 16 so that the request may be refined rather than refused in its entirety.

1. We have been promoting Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA) training modules, that are available at no cost to us, online, which has seen thousands complete training across our City region. We have specifically promoted their 10 minute module to taxi and private hire drivers since March 2025. We also added reference to ZSA training in a film produced for Tattooists.

In addition, we commissioned ZSA to produce the Autism and Suicide Awareness module that is currently available and have part commissioned a further ZSA module focused on Older People and Suicide Awareness.

The Greater Manchester Suicide Prevention Programme will often discuss, in the GM Suicide Prevention Steering Group meetings, those groups that would benefit from half day suicide prevention training due to them working with groups believed to be at high risk of suicide.

In 2021, Suicide First Aid Lite training was delivered by Achievement By Design (ABDCCT) in partnership with Step by Step to a mixed audience from GM localities.

In October 2022, the GM Suicide Prevention Programme commissioned The Lion Barbers Collective to deliver a Live BarberTALK session (3.5-4 hr session) to GM Barbers so they were better prepared when speaking to clients who may be struggling. Feedback following the session was very positive. We have since shared details of the online training available which has expanded to Hair and Beauty Professionals. https://heretotalktraining.com/lions-barber-collective/

In late 2022, quotes were invited from three training providers to deliver training to the Care Leaver workforce, Social Prescribers and the Advice sector.

Manchester MIND were chosen to deliver training to the Care Leaver workforce staff. They later shared details of the improvement in knowledge and awareness of attendees.

Confident Conversations were chosen to deliver training to our Advice Sector and Social Prescribers.

In 2024, further training sessions were delivered to the Advice Sector by Confident Conversations, due to demand.

In 2025, quotes were requested from two training providers to deliver to our GM Domestic Abuse workforce. Confident Conversations was chosen.

When training is commissioned, places are offered out to all ten localities and locality Suicide Prevention Leads in Public Health help to ensure they reach the relevant professionals and teams.

When notified of training offers available from Papyrus and other organisations, at no cost to ourselves, information is circulated to relevant groups. For example, Papyrus are currently offering funded places in the NW to those supporting veterans but also training for education staff in preparation for suicide prevention being added to school curriculums from September 2026.

Following the One Voice One Hope conference held in June 2026, focused on suicide prevention and schools, the offer of a 6-week summer of learning programme providing hours of free suicide prevention training and resources, available between June 15th and July 23rd (details on Page 11 of the attached PDF) was shared with GM education contacts for them to consider accessing.

PDF documents were sent to the requester with this response.  If you require a copy of the full response, together with the attachments, please contact NHS GM’s FOI team – nhsgm.foi@nhs.net

In addition to suicide prevention training, we also commissioned training between April and October 2023, to those in education and Early Years who may need to support a suicide bereaved child. Only one provider was known to deliver such training at the time, Luna Foundation. We also arranged for a webinar to follow on producing school suicide bereavement policies too, which were promoted with GM schools.

On 13th July 2023, we commissioned Attention Seekers? to deliver in person Self-Harm workshops during the morning and afternoon for a diverse group of professionals and a Zoom session open to parents in the evening. Feedback from attendees was amazing.

Evaluations were conducted by the training providers following the completion of training which were shared with us.

NHS GM holds this information however this information is exempt from disclosure under section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as the information is commercially sensitive or includes IP belonging to training providers. This includes pricing, materials, slides, resources provided to learners etc that may appear in documentation provided to us when arranging the commissioning of the training. A formal refusal notice is appended to this response.

Refusal Notice – Section 43(2) Freedom of Information Act 2000

Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 states:

“Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding it)”.

In this instance, disclosure of the information would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of the training providers used by NHS GM. This exemption is subject to the public interest test and for the reasons outlined below we are satisfied that the exemption applies.

2. No audits were undertaken by NHS GM.
3. Providers shared details following training of the increase in knowledge and confidence in training attendees.
4. Information gathered following the completion of training has been shared with the GM Suicide Prevention Programme Steering Group Chair and locality Suicide Prevention Leads. This has assisted them when looking to commission further training locally.
5. NHS GM holds this information however this information is exempt from disclosure under section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as the information is commercially sensitive or includes IP belonging to training providers. This includes pricing, materials, slides, resources provided to learners etc that may appear in documentation provided to us when arranging the commissioning of the training. A formal refusal notice is appended to this response.

Refusal Notice – Section 43(2) Freedom of Information Act 2000

Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 states:

“Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding it)”.

In this instance, disclosure of the information would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of the training providers used by NHS GM. This exemption is subject to the public interest test and for the reasons outlined below we are satisfied that the exemption applies.

6. From the information shared, following the completion of training, we would look at attendee feedback provided and the impact on confidence/knowledge of attendees shared in any questionnaire responses by the training provider. We would also consider views shared on the trainers themselves, ease of training session booking, wellbeing support provided during the training, suitability of training being online or in person and contents of the course, and if any areas were highlighted as requiring more time or topics raised as potential additions. We would also review attendance rates and waiting lists, to determine if further such training was required and value for money.