In line with our published guidelines,134 our theory suggests the following recommendations:
- Staff need to hear the news of their colleague’s death in a timely and sensitive manner.
- Staff need safe and private spaces in which they can come together to talk, process, share memories, and make plans for remembrance of their colleague.
- Psychological support should be available, clearly signposted, and offered repeatedly over the first weeks and months.
- A culture that challenges stigma around mental health and suicide and that validates difficult feelings (such as anger) is essential for giving staff permission to process their responses to their colleague’s suicide.
- Staff may need robust permission to ‘step out of role’, put their own needs first, and look after themselves as they see fit.
- All staff affected by a colleague suicide should be consulted and their ability to return to full duty discussed with them. A well-being assessment should be undertaken with affected staff who work with patients at risk of suicide.
- Staff who do not engage with support should be followed up to find out if specific support is required.
- Memorialisation activities chosen by colleagues should be encouraged by senior leads and Trusts.
- Trusts should acknowledge the suicide of a colleague and pay respect to the colleague as they would if they had died by any other means.
Future research is needed to explore the experiences of minority ethnic healthcare workers following a colleague death by suicide. In addition, we suggest that evaluation of the implementation of our recommendations would increase understanding of what works in practice.