Around 100 Tasmanian pharmacists to be offered advanced suicide prevention training

Around 100 pharmacists from the approximately 160 community pharmacies registered within Tasmania will be offered the chance to strengthen their suicide prevention skills as part of a new partnership between Primary Health Tasmania and the Black Dog Institute.

The training project is supported by The Pharmaceutical Society Australia, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and Curtin University.

Primary Health Tasmania spokesperson Martina Wyss says the training program is one of a number of statewide activities sitting alongside community-led activity at the three local National Suicide Prevention Trial sites.

“Pharmacists are seen as approachable and are well respected service providers in the community,” she says.

“Their regular interactions and often long-standing relationships with various members of the community can yield vital information about people’s lives and wellbeing.”

The Suicide Prevention Training for Pharmacists aims to increase pharmacists’ skills and confidence in talking with those in distress and understanding various referral options.

Anyone interested to sign up can find out more about the next training session, coming up on 25 August, here. You can also read a full media release about the training initiative here.