A memorial tree has been planted at Glenfield Hospital, as part of a national campaign to honour health care workers across England, Wales and Scotland who have taken their own lives.
The silver birch tree now stands at the Secret Garden, after a ceremony held to mark the first National Suicide Memorial Day for Health and Care Workers. The initiative, which is being established by the mental health charity Doctors in Distress and NHS Practitioner Health, aims to ensure that the lives of those healthcare workers who have died by suicide are never forgotten.
Since 2011 2,500 NHS colleagues across England and Wales have died by suicide, which is equivalent to four people every week.
The ceremony at Glenfield was attended by representatives of Doctors in Distress, NHS Practitioner Health, the Asian Professionals National Alliance and Leicester’s Hospitals, with colleagues from across our hospitals also invited to gather to witness the unveiling of the tree and to join in a moment of reflection. As part of the national launch, Doctors in Distress have also planted memorial trees in Salford and Manchester, while a ‘virtual tree’ plaque was unveiled at the NHS Practitioner Health headquarters in London.
This summer, Leicester’s Hospitals built on its mental health support provision by launching a suicide awareness training course for managers, which aims to improve understanding of this complex issue, helping colleagues to support those in need more effectively.
Andrew Furlong, Medical Director at Leicester’s Hospitals, said: “We are honoured to work with Doctors in Distress to plant this tree, in memory of the healthcare professionals who have been so sadly lost and as an enduring symbol of our commitment to providing mental health and wellbeing support. We want to ensure that colleagues know they are never on their own and affirm that it is always okay to ask for help, whenever it is needed and we will support you.’
Amandip Sidhu, Founder of Doctors in Distress, said: “My cardiologist brother died by suicide in 2018, therefore this is a very emotive topic for me. It is really important for me to know that there are NHS Hospital Trusts which understand the pressure their workforce has faced and continues to have to deal with, and who are prepared to talk about the issue of suicide in the workforce. Doctors in Distress was founded specifically to eliminate the stigma surrounding suicide and to provide the support our colleagues need, in order to continue doing the amazing work they do.”
