Supporting someone bereaved by suicide requires specialist knowledge, confidence, and sensitivity. Suicide has a profound impact on families, friends, colleagues, and wider communities, and many professionals report feeling anxious and unprepared when they encounter, or are required to support, someone bereaved or impacted by suicide, whether in a clinical or professional role, within a community service, or in their own workplace.
For professionals such as mental health practitioners, healthcare staff, counsellors, first responders, social workers, educators, safeguarding leads, funeral directors, HR teams, managers, and wellbeing or pastoral staff and faith leaders, the need for skilled and compassionate postvention (care for those bereaved by suicide) is essential. When someone dies by suicide in the workplace, it places unique responsibilities on employers and colleagues, who may be affected both personally and professionally.
PABBS (Postvention Assisting Those Bereaved by Suicide) training was created to meet this need. It is informed by a three year National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) government funded (£243K) study exploring what people bereaved by suicide need and how professionals can respond safely, confidently, and effectively. Research underpinning PABBS has resulted in four peer reviewed academic publications, making it one of the few suicide bereavement training programmes with a clearly established evidence base.
The importance of specialised training has become even more prominent with the introduction of the BSI Standard BS 30480: Suicide and the Workplace, which provides a national framework outlining how organisations should prevent, respond to, and support people affected by suicide. The standard emphasises:
- The need for confident, consistent, and compassionate communication about suicide in professional settings
- Clear, structured postvention processes following a suicide
- Providing staff with access to appropriate, specialist suicide related training
- Commissioning evidence based programmes to strengthen organisational readiness and improve postvention support processes
PABBS training directly supports these expectations by equipping individuals with practical tools, increased confidence, and an evidence-based approach to postvention. It helps organisations meet the standards of BS 30480, ensuring safer, more informed, and compassionate responses to suicide bereavement across professional and workplace settings.
What is Included in PABBS Training?
This one day, face-to-face interactive workshop is delivered by two trainers
Training Materials
- A take home workbook
- High quality short videos presenting key issues in context
- Four academic articles, a plain English summary and key report
- Lecture slides
- Take home suicide bereavement resources
Delivery Methods
- Taught sessions
- Films
- Group discussion
- Individual and group exercises
All activities are designed to increase understanding, enhance motivation, and
stimulate meaningful discussion.
What is Unique About PABBS training?
- PABBS training is the only ‘evidence-based’ suicide bereavement training internationally. ‘Evidence-based’ means that it was developed from a three-year research study (The PABBS Study), led by Dr Sharon McDonnell at the University of Manchester and funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) programme (£243K total funding)
- It is the only ‘theory-based’ suicide bereavement training internationally. ‘Theory-based’ means that delivery of PABBS training is based on an existing training framework that supports learning
- The research that the training is based on (The PABBS Study) explored:
- the experiences and needs of people bereaved by suicide
- the experiences and needs of health professionals responsible for the care of people bereaved by suicide (i.e. GPs, mental health professionals and ambulance staff)
- the best existing evidence about suicide bereavement support and policy/training materials
- Members of a self-help suicide bereavement group formed part of the training development advisory group
- PABBS training has been evaluated at the University of Manchester and found to be effective in improving the knowledge skills and confidence of a wide range of professionals in responding to those bereaved by suicide. The evaluation also found that PABBS training was highly rated by a range of professionals. (Read the research article)
- The PABBS Study has produced four academic research articles
- NIHR continues to support the further development and delivery of PABBS training
- Dr McDonnell is leading the national roll-out of PABBS training.
Delivered by Experienced & Specialist Trainers
PABBS training is delivered by two specialist trainers. Each brings lived-experience of suicide bereavement and extensive expertise in suicide prevention. Collectively they offer a diverse range of professional skills, including:
1) Professional Skills and Experience
- Policing
- Mental health nursing
- Suicidebereavement research
- Policy and practice development
- Therapeutic practice (including counselling and psychotherapy)
- Working with children and young people
- Working in the prison service
- Working with the armed forces community
- Leadership in suicide prevention and postvention
2) Inclusive and Culturally Competent Practice
- Supporting people from minority ethnic backgrounds
- Supporting neurodivergent people is leading the national roll-out of PABBS
training.
Evaluations of PABBS Training
- Evaluating the Real‑World Impact of PABBS Training (Gardner et al 2026)
- Independent evaluation of PABBS suicide bereavement training in four professional groups by Kathryn Gardener at University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN)
- Independent evaluation of PABBS training commissioned by Health Education England (HEE) South West
- Health Education England (HEE) South West powerpoint presentation highlighting key findings from the independent evaluation of PABBS training
Publications Associated With PABBS Training
Four peer reviewed articles associated with PABBS training have been published in academic journals, including a formal evaluation of the programme. To read the academic articles or the plain English summaries, click the link below.
Aligning PABBS Training with National Policy and Workplace Standards
PABBS suicide bereavement training directly supports key objectives set out in national and workplace frameworks including the National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, Nice Guideline NG238 on Self Harm, the NHS Long Term Plan and Public Health England’s Support After Suicide guidance, by equipping staff with the knowledge, confidence and trauma informed skills needed to respond safely and compassionately after a suicide. It also aligns with BSI work[lace standards such as BS ISO 45003, BS 30416 and BS30480 through:
- Strengthening organisational readiness to respond consistently and effectively after a suicide.
- Improving psychosocial risk management in line with recognised workplace health and safety standards.
- Ensuring evidence based, trauma informed postvention practice across policies, procedures and workplace environments.
- Prompting compassionate, standardised approaches that reduce stigma and support staff wellbeing following a suicide.
Key Documents that refer to PABBS Training and Research
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2018) Suicide Prevention Guidelines in Community and Custodial Settings refers to Paper 1 from the PABBS study. This paper, which reports the experience of of GPs about dealing with parents bereaved by suicide was cited as evidence in the NICE guideline, which aims to reduce suicide in the community and custodial settings. Dr Sharon McDonnell also provides an expert testimony in this document, including recommendations (pg 69).
- Public Health England (PHE) & NHS Health Education England (2016) Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Training Programmes includes PABBS training in it’s listing of suicide prevention training (pg 46).
- PHE, 2016 A Guide for Providing a Suicide Bereavement Service (pg 14).
PABBS Workshops
In House Training for Organisations.
This evidence based, practice based, CPD accredited course is delivered by two trainers, accommodates up to 20 participants, and runs from 9:00am to 4:30pm.
Individual Bookings
Currently scheduled PABBS ONE DAY training dates for individual bookings
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To register on PABBS training or to enquire about in-house PABBS training, please contact Paul Higham
Email: paul.higham@suicidebereavementuk.com
Tel: 01706 827359
Acknowledgements:
Suicide Bereavement UK acknowledges the past and ongoing support of the NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre (NIHR Greater Manchester PSTRC) in the delivery and roll-out of PABBS suicide bereavement training.
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