Addressing un(der)employment: a GP’s guide to suicide prevention
MRFF Million Minds Grant: Work and unemployment: vital to effective suicide prevention (Freeman, et al. 2022)
Research shows that economic hardship—such as unemployment and underemployment—can contribute significantly to mental health distress and increase suicide risk. GPs play a crucial role in identifying early signs of distress, advocating for effective interventions, and providing patients with the necessary support and resources.
Our workshops and seminars are designed to empower General Practitioners (GPs) with the knowledge and skills needed to enhance mental health management through approaches such as watchful waiting and social prescribing. These sessions aim to provide GPs with practical tools to better support their patients and community.
Training covers navigating complex conversations, helping implement social interventions and advocating for broader systemic solutions. Increasing GPs’ confidence in dealing with self-harm and suicidal threats will result in less risk-adverse decision-making, and better patient outcomes.
This course will cover:
- The relative impact of mental illness and un(der)employment, and other social determinants of health on the suicide rate in Australia
- ‘Watchful waiting’ and careful reassurance as effective approaches to distress
- Making the most of social prescribing
- Practical communication strategies for engaging with vulnerable patients
- Please contact us regarding other modes of GP training, including developing bespoke packages for your practice and/ or academic detailing.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Assess the impact of unemployment and underemployment on patient mental health and suicide risk.
- Develop increased confidence in addressing patients’ social and economic concerns.
- Feel confident in Watchful Waiting as a potent and meaningful intervention
- Communicate effectively to support patients experiencing employment-related distress.
Collaborators:
Adelaide University, in collaboration with the South Australian Financial Counsellors Association (SAFCA), the Social Prescription, and Community Connections South Australia, have formed a dynamic partnership focused on supporting community well-being, financial literacy, and social prescriptions.
SAFCA offers free, expert advice and support surrounding social prescriptions, empowering individuals to navigate financial challenges with confidence and access essential resources. The Social Prescription operates as an overarching organisation operating as a single point of access to social prescriptions including social clubs, lifestyle initiatives, engagement with nature, the arts and cultural connections to foster community engagement, while Community Connections South Australia strengthens the network by providing vital social connections to those in need.
This collaborative effort brings together Adelaide University’s academic expertise, SAFCA’s financial counselling, and overarching aim of the Social Prescription Project and Community Connections, creating a unique platform that promotes education, empowerment, and positive change across the South Australian community.