CAMS - Collaborative Assessment of the Management of Suicidality

Frontline professionals such as mental health crisis resolution teams and home treatment teams, community mental health teams, social workers, housing/supported accommodation teams, substance misuse, voluntary sector adult and children support services and more) are well-placed to provide support to those with suicidal ideation/behaviours. However, often these professionals do not feel they have the skills, knowledge or confidence to manage the suicidality of the people they support. Existing Suicide Prevention Training available in Hampshire and parts of the ICS (e.g. Suicide First Aid) is useful in managing one-off suicidal conversations but do not provide a therapeutic framework and the tools to work with a client on an ongoing basis. This has been identified by partners as a gap, via local Suicide Prevention Forums/Partnerships across Hampshire/Portsmouth/Southampton and Isle of Wight. In May 2021, Hampshire County Council co-ordinated a webinar about the use of Collaborative Assessment for the Management of Suicidality (CAMS) in the Solent NHS Psychology team, presented by Dr Lorraine Bell, Consultant Clinical Psychologist. Around forty individuals representing different parts of the mental health system attended

HCC Public Health has worked with partners across the ICS and applied for a Health Education England grant on behalf of the ICS. The grant has been approved for CAMS. CAMS is based on the work and research led by Dr. David Jobes. It is based on the understanding that suicide risk is treatable and works to address the drivers that make someone want to die. There are four elements to the training: Reading the book Managing Suicidal Risk, A Collaborative Approach, 2nd Edition, an online course, practical role play training and consultation calls. A direct award has been made to Navigo as it has been found to be the only company in the UK with a licence to provide CAMS Training.