Postvention Assisting those Bereaved By Suicide (PABBS) – Suicide Bereavement Training

Aims and target audience

The ‘Postvention Assisting those Bereaved By Suicide’ (PABBS) Training is now CPD Accredited and aims to increase the knowledge, skills and confidence of health and care professionals so that they can appropriately respond to and care for those bereaved or affected after a suicide. Providing this type of ‘postvention’ support after suicide is recognised internationally as a key aspect of suicide prevention.

PABBS training is the only evidence-based suicide bereavement postvention training internationally. It is based on direct research evidence, via a three-year study funded by the NHS National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). This training has been evaluated at the University of Manchester and found to be both effective and highly rated/acceptable to a wide variety of health and care professionals. Professionals from a wide variety of professional backgrounds have attended PABBS training (e.g. GPs, mental health professionals, funeral directors, social workers, faith leaders, teachers, prison staff, housing association staff, military personnel).

This one-day highly interactive workshop is delivered by two facilitators with extensive knowledge and practical experience of working in the field of suicide prevention and postvention. (While the sessions are interactive, the training does not include any role-play).

Learning outcomes

The training will increase the knowledge, skills and confidence of health and care professionals so that they can appropriately respond to and care for those bereaved or affected after a suicide.

This face2face training is CPD accredited.

Delivery methods and styles

This is a one day face2face training

Involvement of people with lived experience

Dr McDonnell led the development of PABBS training at the University of Manchester. She has been personally bereaved by suicide and has specialised in suicide bereavement research for twenty years. In combination, the research team members who developed PABBS have extensive experience in: suicide bereavement research; suicide prevention; general practice; mental health nursing and health psychology. Several of the team have been bereaved by suicide and most are experienced suicide bereavement trainers.

The full research team comprises:

• Dr Sharon McDonnell, Managing Director of Suicide Bereavement UK and Honorary Research Fellow, University of Manchester
• Professor Nav Kapur, Professor of Psychiatry and Population Health, University of Manchester
• Professor Jenny Shaw, Professor of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Manchester
• Dr Lis Cordingley, Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology, University of Manchester
• Professor Carolyn Chew Graham, Professor of General Practice Research, Keele University
• Barry McGale, Senior Suicide Bereavement Consultant and Trainer, Suicide Bereavement UK
• Shirley Smith, Chief Operating Officer, Co-Founder, If U Care Share Foundation

Assessment, CPD credits, certification

PABBS is CPD accredited