In addition to the Choose Life National Implementation Support Team (NIST) are 32 local suicide prevention plans and 32 local Choose Life Co-ordinators – representing each local authority area. Local Action Plans are developed in the Local Community Planning Partnership process to ensure communities are fully engaged in suicide prevention. Local action plans set out objectives and priorities and ensure these are met through coordination, support for community groups and training in suicide prevention.
Strengthening local policy and agency links with local organisations is a key priority for all stakeholders. The Community Planning process coordinates and maximises opportunities for joint working, shared responsibility and sustainability. Voluntary and community groups play a major role in development of a sustainable local suicide prevention infrastructure.
CPPs ensure local Choose Life activities remain cross-cutting at policy and organisational level. Suicide prevention and related activities should become recognised as key elements in Joint Health Improvement and related local policies. Mainstreaming of suicide prevention activity should remain a key major priority for all concerned.
Choose Life funds are allocated to local authorities on behalf of their Community Planning Partners (CPPs). CPPs are responsible for implementing local action plans and activities.
Local Choose Life funding is supplementary to local investment in mental health and health improvement work. It does not provide additional finance for mainstream statutory NHS and local authority services.
Choose Life support is ‘seed corn’ funding; successful initiatives should be sustained by securing mainstream long-term funding. CPPs are asked to secure additional local investment to sustain local suicide prevention activities. This includes identifying activities and resources necessary for sustainability through the final phase of Choose Life(2008-13).
Local support funds for the first phase of Choose Life (2003-06) amounted to £9m, a further £6.4 million was allocated to local communities for phase two (2006-2008).
£200,000 was additionally allocated to help support suicide prevention action in the Highlands and improve suicide prevention in remote and rural areas of Scotland. This acknowledged the challenges of preventing suicide in these communities and increase capacity for suicide prevention activity in the Highlands.
An investment of £50,000 has been made in the 'Breathing Space' telephone advice service to boost its reach in highland, island, rural and remote areas.
0800 83 85 87
08457 90 90 90