Stewart Moore, Senior Learning and Development Officer within Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) has been involved with suicide prevention efforts for over 40 years. This week for Suicide Prevention Week he has been reflecting on his career and involvement with suicide prevention. 

His first encounter with suicide prevention efforts came when he was studying to become a qualified Social Worker and he started volunteering at the Glasgow Samaritans to provide telephone support to those experiencing suicidal thoughts. What started as a volunteering opportunity ended up forging the path to Stewart’s life and career leading him to become one of our HSCP’s lead suicide prevention trainers for the last decade.

Stewart said: “That chance I took all those years ago volunteering at the Samaritans ended up being an incredible, powerful and pivotal foundation of my life, and it took me places emotionally and psychologically that I never believed existed.” 

“I discovered that you didn’t need to be an expert, you didn’t need special training to maybe stop someone taking their own life. You just have to be a human and not be frightened to ask someone if they are feeling suicidal.”

When asked about how Glasgow’s suicide prevention efforts have changed in the last 40 years, Stewart reflects on how much more help exists for those experiencing suicidal thoughts. 

“When I first joined the Samaritans that was it. That was the only help you could access if you found yourself in a difficult situation. Today in Glasgow we have the Glasgow City Suicide Prevention Partnership, which works in partnership with the third sector and in conjunction with the NHS, Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council so that we’re able to deliver a suite of suicide prevention training, guarantee different levels of support and raise awareness every day about suicide.” 

In his current role, Stewart delivers the LivingWorks suite of training: suicideTalk, safeTalk and ASIST to all HSCP staff who sign up. Every year over 750 people from our HSCP attends the training, potentially saving many lives as a result. 

During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the usual in-person training has had to be temporarily put on hold; however, our HSCP has continued to offer online training resources. Now as services have begun to restart, there are plans to bring in-person training back by the end of 2021. 

Reflecting on the suicide prevention training, Stewart said: “It’s quite powerful to know that the training we do has saved lives and that people have been assisted to make different choices. The major aspect I take from the work that I’ve been involved with for the last four decades is that we have made it possible for more people to open up about their state of mind and educating people to ask directly to someone they're worried about if they're thinking about suicide.”

“We still have a long way to go but we can take some pride in what we have achieved and we are passionate to continue to improve what we do.”

Find out more about suicide prevention, local resources and support available from the Glasgow City Suicide Prevention Partnership webpage.

Where to Get Help

If you’re experiencing confusing or distressing thoughts, or if people around you have expressed concern about your wellbeing, arrange an appointment with your GP or phone NHS 24 on 111.
If it would help you to talk with someone, freephone:

• Samaritans - 116 123 or
• Breathing Space - 0800 83 85 87.

If you, or someone you know, needs URGENT HELP, then please phone the emergency services on 999.