CUTS COULD FORCE CLOSURE OF FACILITY

A dedicated suicide-prevention centre, the only one of its kind in Northern Ireland, was set up in 2007 to tackle the traumatic issue.

As of 2009 the district had the fourth lowest number of deaths by suicide compared with every other council area.

But all the work done to get to this point could end here as funding for the Protect Life centre continues to diminish.

While local GPs may want to refer a high number of patients to manager Najla Basketfield and the three other qualified counsellors at the centre, only half are getting the treatment they so badly need.

counselling

Ms Basketfield, who can afford to work only part-time since funding slowed towards the end of 2008, told the Leader, "There may have been 224 people in Banbridge referred to counselling last year but that is just the tip of the iceberg."

Funding cuts could undo all the good work that's helped to curb the suicide rate in Banbridge - which has dropped from the highest to one of the lowest in Northern Ireland in recent years.

The Project Life support centre in Banbridge has counselled victims of depression since it opened as a voluntary community interest company in 2008, but has had to turn an increasing number of patients away in light of recent health cuts and a lack of public funding for voluntary groups.

While each month at least 15 people may be referred to the centre, which is open three days a week, there are only enough qualified counsellors to deal with around half of these patients.

Project Life Managing Director Najla Basketfield said the situation is getting worse.

"There's such a high demand for the centre's services," said Ms Basketfield. "It is really frustrating when you have to limit the number of referrals of people presenting with symptoms of depression.

"It's hard sometimes because GPs have to decide who is more at risk and how can they decide after seeing someone for a few minutes?"

There are currently four qualified counsellors at the centre able to give one-to-one sessions with people suffering from depression and anxiety.

Banbridge was labelled as a suicide hotspot just four years ago in 2006 when it had the highest rate of deaths by suicide per 1,000 people.

Now it sits fourth from the bottom by district council area with a total of 24 suicides since 2005 - four last year.

Such a dramatic fall in amount of people dying by suicide in the district is undoubtedly linked to the work of the centre, according to its manager.

"I think the centre's presence and work in the community here and beyond has definitely contributed to the fall in numbers," said Ms Basketfield.

But while the centre spoke to the Leader late last year about a desperate need for further funding, Ms Basketfield said things have failed to improved.

"If anything the situation is even more bleak now," she said. "It's the same for most community and voluntary groups at the minute.

"But as far as I am aware we are still the only set-up that runs like this with an arm of the surgery dedicated to suicide support services. "There is a real need for this type of service in the area."