Disclaimer and liabilities

The Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA) website and all the associated content, resources, case studies and practical help contained or downloaded within (collectively the “ZSA Platform”) has been prepared by and is the sole intellectual property of Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust or their licensors (the “Creators”). The ZSA Platform is provided free of charge by the Creators to you for personal use and for general information purposes only.  Use of the ZSA Platform is at your own risk. Whilst the ZSA Platform has been prepared using reasonable care and skill, no representations or warranties, express or implied, are made by the Creators concerning the applicability, suitability, accuracy or completeness of any of the information or content forming part of the ZSA Platform.

The ZSA Platform is provided on an “as is” basis and none of information that the Creators provide as part of the ZSA Platform should be used for anything other than general information purposes. The information provided is in no way a substitute for specialist or professional advice or medical treatment and you must always obtain specialist or professional advice before taking, or refraining from, any action based on the ZSA Platform. Never disregard any specialist or professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the ZSA Platform.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Creators accept no responsibility whatsoever for your use of the ZSA Platform.  The Creators shall not be liable in any way whether in tort (including for negligence or breach of statutory duty), contract, misrepresentation, restitution or otherwise for any liability, loss, cost, charges or other damages incurred as a result of the use of the ZSA Platform. The Creators do not exclude or limit in any way their liability to you where it would be unlawful to do so. This includes liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or the negligence of our employees, agents or subcontractors and for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

Aims

The ZSA Suicide Prevention Resource Map and the ZSA Dashboards have been developed to present data on various health and social, and service provision factors related to suicide or to the care of individuals at risk of suicide. 

Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the details contained on this website are correct, it is the responsibility of the user to find out more information from the primary source as stated on each display of individual factors in order to make an informed decision over its use. 

Content development process

For information on how the ZSA Suicide Prevention Resource Map has been developed, visit the ZSA Map home page.

For more information on how the ZSA Dashboards were developed, visit the ZSA Dashboards home page.

The ZSA resource team aim to routinely review and update content when new data from primary sources is published. Whilst every effort is made, we cannot guarantee that information is accurate and up-to-date.

Accessibility

As the ZSA Suicide Prevention Resource Map is fully interactive and hosted by an external website, full accessibility cannot be guarenteed. We recommend to use the map using Google Chrome. Using other browers such as Internet Explorer, Sarfari, Edge or Firefox may cause issues with accessibility. Please note that a colour blind option is available using the options displayed under each chart.

Any issues viewing these resources, contact us through our website form submission or email us on Contactus@zerosuicidealliance.nhs.uk. 

Aims

Resources included within the ZSA Resource Library are displayed for the purposes of introducing users and our members to a range of new and emerging resources. The ZSA make considerable efforts to ensure that resources align with its aims in building awareness of mental health and suicide, working to prevent incidences of suicide.

The ZSA does not endorse individual resources or make any assurances about their evaluation status (i.e. safe, valid, effective). Instead the ZSA aims to present a standardised set of information about each resource, enabling transparency and comparisons to be made. 

Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the details contained on this website are correct, it is the responsibility of the user to read the information that accompanies each displayed resource prior to making a decision over its use. The resource owner has full authority and permissions of their resource. Please seek further information from the resource owner and other appropriate professional parties in order to make an informed decision over its use. 

Content development process

Prior to publication of resources on the ZSA Resource website, resources undergo a due diligence check by the ZSA Resources team. Resources may be brought to ZSA attention through contact from resource owners or as a product of other ZSA work. The due diligence process involves an initial review of the resource and evaluating whether it aligns with ZSA aims of promoting a population approach to mental health, suicide awareness/prevention and postvention. 

Resources owners are encouraged to complete a standardised form covering a variety of aspects about the resources, including: basic details, core elements, supporting rationale, evaluations, recommendations, endorsements, data protection considerations. Depending on the type of resource (e.g. digital tool, training programme), information sought may differ slightly in order to be most appropriate. 

Whilst every effort is made to develop content in collaboration with resources owners, content may be developed using publicly available information presented in an objective format. In either case, this is noted at the bottom of each published resource.

The ZSA resource team aim to routinely review and update content in accordance with resource developments and from correspondence with resource owners. Whilst every effort is made, we cannot guarantee that information is accurate and up-to-date.

Aims

Case studies included within ZSA Case Studies are displayed for the purposes of introducing users and our members to a range of examples of good practice. The ZSA make considerable efforts to ensure that case studies on the ZSA website align with its aims in building awareness of mental health and suicide, working to prevent incidences of suicide.

The ZSA aims to present a standardised set of information within each case study, enabling transparency and comparisons to be made. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the details contained on this website are correct, it the responsibility of the user to read the information that accompanies each case study and seek appropriate professional input prior to making a decision over its use. Please seek further information by contacting the ZSA, and if appropriate, you will be put in touch with the case study owner. 

Content development process

Prior to publication, case studies undergo a due diligence check by the ZSA Resources team. Case studies may be brought to ZSA attention through contact from case study owners or as a product of other ZSA work. The due diligence process involves an initial review of the case study example and evaluating whether it aligns with ZSA aims of promoting a population approach to mental health, suicide awareness/prevention and postvention.

Whilst every effort is made to develop content in collaboration with case study owners, content may be developed using publicly available information presented in an objective format. In either case, this is noted at the bottom of each published case study.

The ZSA resource team aim to routinely review and update content in accordance with case study developments and from correspondence with case study owners. Whilst every effort is made, we cannot guarantee that information is accurate and up-to-date.

Aims

The Need Urgent Help? and Helplines and Support Sections on the ZSA website have been designed for the purpose of supporting users, or individuals in contact with users who seek mental health support, to access information and be signposted to professional help. The ZSA aims for the resources to be helpful to the user, but does not provide any assurances preventing harm. If the user or another person is seen to be at immediate risk we strongly recommend urgent consultation with a healthcare professional.

Content development process

Resources included within the Need Urgent Help? and Helplines and Support Section on the ZSA website undergo the same due diligence process as other ZSA resources (see ZSA Resource Library policy).

The ZSA may also signpost users to helpful information about mental health, suicide, and the factors that can contribute to poor psychological wellbeing and reaching crisis. Whilst the ZSA make every effort to source information from reliable sources, we cannot guarantee that information is accurate and up-to-date.

Aims

The ZSA Workspaces are intended to provide space for collaborative working and shared learning for professionals actively involved in and/or interested in contributing to suicide prevention in an STP/ICS footprint.

Access to the workspaces 

  • All users with nhs.net or nhs.uk email addresses will be automatically accepted onto the workspaces. 
  • All other users will only be able to access the workspaces following approval by the ZSA admin team.
  • The ZSA admin team will accept all professionals from health and social care, emergency services and charity sector within the STP/ICS.
  • If the professional background of the prospective user is not clear from the email address, i.e. personal email address, the ZSA admin team will contact the prospective user to clarify the reasons for joining the workspace. The ZSA team will then share this information with Suicide Prevention leads within the STP/ICS to ascertain whether it would be appropriate to admit the individual to the workspace. If the individual has an interest in or is actively involved in contributing to suicide prevention in an STP/ICS they will be accepted.

Use of the workspaces

All users have access to do the following:

  • Create threads about topics related to suicide prevention.
  • Comment on other threads.
  • Upload documents and content. 
  • Add relevant events to the calendar.

Content of the workspaces

Each user is accountable for the threads, comments and documents that they contribute to the workspaces. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Creators accept no responsibility whatsoever for your use of the ZSA Platform. The Creators shall not be liable in any way whether in tort (including for negligence or breach of statutory duty), contract, misrepresentation, restitution or otherwise for any liability, loss, cost, charges or other damages incurred as a result of the use of the ZSA Platform.

Threads

All users must be respectful of colleagues and maintain confidentiality where this has been requested. All users must not include any sensitive or person identifiable data in your discussions or uploaded resources.

The ZSA team will contribute to the ZSA workspaces, sharing relevant information and events relevant to the threads created.

Documents

Documents can be uploaded onto threads on the ZSA workspaces by all users.

The main document space will be curated and maintained by the ZSA admin team. The team will contact users who have uploaded document(s) of interest into threads to obtain permission to upload the document(s) to the main document space.

If users would like a document to be added they should contact the ZSA team by email: contactus@zerosuicidealliance.nhs.uk. The ZSA admin team will respond within 2 working days. If a user other then one of the STP /ICS Regional leads requests to upload documents into the main document folder the ZSA admin team will encourage them to include this in a thread rather than the main document space.

The ZSA team will also upload any relevant national or regional documents into this area.

Reporting Content

If a comment, thread or document is inappropriate users should fill out the report content form, which can be found on the workspaces pages. The comment, thread or document will then be reviewed by the ZSA admin team within two working days and removed if the post:

  1. breaches confidentiality,
  2. is not relevant to the aim of the workspaces,
  3. contains person identifiable information,
  4. contains hate speech and/or derogatory language,
  5. alluded/ made direct reference to imminent risk to yourself or another person.

If a post is deleted an email will be sent to the user to explain that they have breached the terms and conditions of the workspace. This email will also link them to the ZSA urgent help page: https://www.zerosuicidealliance.com/urgent-help, for information.

Data usage

Regarding data protection and privacy, the ZSA website has been assessed through the use of a Data Protection Impact Assessment as part of our data protection process which meets the GDPR and the Data Protection Act (2018).

In the interest of sharing best practice the ZSA team reserve the right to contact users about content posted on the ZSA Workspaces.

To opt out of any communication from the ZSA users can email us at contactus@zerosuicidealliance.nhs.uk.

Contingencies

In the event that the ZSA were to close down, due to lack of funding or otherwise, the workspaces would no longer remain as an interactive forum, they would be reduced to a read only space. Users who had access to the space before ZSA closure would still be able to read historical threads and posts but would not be able to comment, report or create new threads.

The ZSA uses Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook and free messaging services offered by third parties (e.g. Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams) as tools in its efforts to communicate clearly, quickly and in an engaging manner to people interested in our work.

You can follow us on:

Social media content delivered by ZSA includes, but is not limited to:

  • Links to ZSA training modules
  • Links to news releases, blog posts, videos, guidance and other approved, publicly available material.
  • Links to relevant information produced and published elsewhere, such as the work of the NHS, other healthcare organisations, charities, suicide prevention services/networks, patient organisations and researchers. This can include videos, blog posts, and retweets (RTs) from other Twitter users (see below for our policy on RTs.)
  • Interesting facts, quotes or observations related to our work supported by academic and anecdotal resources.
  • Topical questions related to our work intended to provoke discussion.
  • Photos and images
  • ZSA updates

Retweets (RTs), Shares and Likes

We may 'retweet', 'share' and 'like' news posts, links and personal observations we believe are relevant to the work we do.  This activity does not imply that the ZSA endorse this material.

Following

The ZSA team's decision to follow a particular user or page does not imply endorsement of any kind. We follow/like accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook that we believe are relevant to our work. This could include following the Twitter accounts of companies and other commercial enterprises (and/or their employees) who comment on ZSA related issues.

Availability

We commit to updating and monitoring our social media accounts during regular office hours: 09:00 – 17:00, GMT Monday to Friday. However, like many social media users, we may monitor and respond at other times of the day. The ZSA also schedule in out of office hours messaging (including weekends) to reach as wide as audience as possible. We do not accept responsibility for lack of service due to social media service downtime.

Replies and Direct Messages

We will read all replies and direct messages sent to us and, when possible, will respond to them. Please note that due to the volume of traffic on our social media accounts it is not always possible to respond. Therefore we encourage users to use alternative ways to contact us if their question or comment requires urgent attention.

Media Requests 

We encourage you to follow traditional channels to make a media or Freedom of Information (FOI) request. See details below for other ways to contact us.

Staff Social Media

Some ZSA team members and/or partners use social media platforms under their own names or pseudonyms. Despite their professional affiliation with the ZSA, their activity on their personal accounts does not represent the official position of the ZSA, and should be considered as the product of each individual as a private citizen.

Aims:

  1. Support people with low mood to find useful practical resources. 
  2. Provide you with a sense of hope.
  3. Equip, educate and empower you to develop new coping strategies and feel more comfortable tackling the stigma that mental health and suicide.

Practical Help is a survey that hopes to guide you to supportive resources and wellbeing tools for yourself or someone you know.

The survey consists of nine questions, each will help you judge risk of harm and understand what could be contributing to low mood. At the end of the survey you will be provided with a support pack based on your answers. This includes tailored information and resources, such as self help guides, podcasts and articles.

Practical Help is not a clinical diagnostic tool or a supportive tool for those in mental health crisis. If you are believe you’re life or the life of someone you know is at risk, please visit our Urgent Help page to find out what you should do.

Content development process

Resources included within Practical Help on the ZSA website undergo the same due diligence process as other ZSA resources (see ZSA Resource Library policy).

The ZSA may also signpost users to helpful information about mental health, suicide, and the factors that can contribute to poor psychological wellbeing and reaching crisis. Whilst the ZSA make every effort to source information from reliable sources, we cannot guarantee that information is accurate and up-to-date.

If a user of the ZSA website has any concerns or comments in relation to the content, we encourage individuals to reach out by using the contact us page or email the ZSA team on Contactus@zerosuicidealliance.nhs.uk