QUEENSLAND-BASED pharmacy staff are being invited to take part in two free local early suicide prevention programs to support their communities.
Pharmacy Guild of Australia Queensland Branch Acting President, Chris Owen, said the Conversations for Life and Stronger Smarter Yarns for Life workshops have been funded by the Federal Government and the Central Queensland, Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast Primary Health Networks.
The sessions will take place in late Apr and early May for both community members and local pharmacists.
"By educating and upskilling Queenslanders in early suicide prevention, we hope to increase the confidence of community members and pharmacy staff so they can engage in conversations with people at risk for early intervention," Owens said.
"The training promotes early conversations, community connections and social inclusion while reducing any stigma related to mental illness.
"The program will also highlight referral pathways to locally-led suicide prevention services to support practical and ongoing community collaboration."
Owen added that pharmacists were "in a unique position not only to recognise sucidality, but to encourage others in the community to learn how to do it with this kind of training".
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