A TRIAL program at Redland Hospital has been a turning point for some people struggling with suicidal thoughts.
The program - introduced to the hospital in mid-2019 by mental health organisation Brook RED and Enlightened Consultants - is staffed by peer support workers who have experienced suicidal thoughts or lost someone to suicide.
A Living EDge room has been set up at the hospital, which people can visit as an alternative to the emergency department.
It was originally intended to be tested until September 2019 but the trial was extended to March 31, 2020.
Suicide prevention services manager Nick Moreau said feedback had been overwhelmingly positive.
One visitor to the Living EDge room said it was helpful to have a non-clinical space in which to talk with people who had lived through similar situations.
They said it was sometimes hard to disclose their thoughts and feelings to people who had not been personally affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts.
Another person said it was helpful to be spending time with peer workers in a non-clinical space rather than being alone at home when they were feeling unsafe.
Mr Moreau said people were using the room for two main purposes.
"One group will be intentional about how they access the LE room," he said.
"This group are typically using the room for self-regulation and are returning to the room as an alternative to the emergency department. We also see this group provide mutual support to each other when in the room together.
"Other people have used the room just the once and have not returned. This group will typically report a circumstantial reason for suicidality and presentation to the emergency department."
He said the program had taken a while to get off the ground but about five to 10 people now accessed the room per night between Monday and Thursday.
"Hospital systems are extremely complex," he said.
"There are lots of teams and functions and a lot of staff. Communicating process change to everyone takes a long time and it takes longer again for those processes to be used and become part of regular operations. (Since mid-2019) we have seen a big increase in the number of people accessing the LE room."
Mr Moreau said the Living EDge program was expected to close on March 31. Data collected throughout the trial would then be evaluated.
A Brook RED-run suicide prevention program at Logan Hospital is now in its third year and supports about 90 to 100 people experiencing suicidal distress per year.
People can self-refer to the service by contacting the Living EDge team on 0433 724 337.
In a crisis, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or call 000.
