A SENIOR councillor has urged the people of St Helens to “look after our neighbours” as the coronavirus health crisis deepens.

Cllr Anthony Burns, cabinet member for public health, leisure and libraries, stressed the importance of pulling together during a meeting of the People’s Board, which features a range of partners from across the borough.

During a discussion about the borough’s suicide rate, Cllr Burns warned the coronavirus outbreak is adding to peoples’ existing worries.

“The current situation surrounding the coronavirus that’s causing panic amongst our communities,” Cllr Burns said.

“And it adds to the worries that people are already carrying on a daily basis.

“So that’s why it’s also very, very important that we look after our neighbours and really be vigilant and be together on this issue.”

Members of the People’s Board, which includes Merseyside Police and St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust, were asked to support a number of council initiatives aimed at bringing the borough’s suicide rate down.

In 2018, the suicide rate in St Helens was 16.1 per 100,000 population, which has reduced from the 2017 rate but is still significantly higher than the UK rate.

One of the initiatives being taken by the council is to provide a training workshop for the people of St Helens in all 16 wards by September 2020.

Cllr Burns asked partners were asked to promote, as a minimum, the 20-minute Zero Suicide Alliance training to staff and members of the public.

Partners were also aked to support the council’s ‘OK TO ASK’ campaign, which provides materials to support people around asking questions relating to suicide.

The website has been developed in conjunction with people affected by suicide and is being constantly developed.

St Helens Council want partners to support the use of the website as a tool for sharing evidence of good practice around suicide prevention and also the main link for support and training.

John Heritage, chief operating officer and deputy chief executive of North West Borough’s Healthcare, which provides mental health services in St Helens, praised the council for “leading the way” with its work around suicide.

“I think other boroughs could do well to watch what you’re doing and adopt a similar approach,” he said.

Tami Garvey-Jones, superintendent for St Helens, said the OK TO ASK campaign is an “excellent tool” and said she has shared it internally with staff at Merseyside Police.

For more information about the OK TO ASK campaign, visit oktoaskcampaign.co.uk/