The Protect Life Co-ordinator works in partnership across agencies to co-ordinate suicide prevention initiatives and community response to suicide in the southern area. Funded through the Public Health Agency, they have a role in monitoring and surveillance of suicide incidents in the southern area, and making initial contact with families bereaved through suicide and co-ordinating follow-on support.
Gemma Maher is the Protect Life Co-ordinator for the Southern Health and Social Care Trust area and is based within the Promoting Wellbeing Division. gemma.maher@southerntrust.hscni.net Tel: 028 37564461. 
- Protect life leaflet
- Lifeline Info sheet for Statutory Services
- Help at hand – support booklet providing practical guidance and emotional support to families following a possible death by suicide
- Beyond the Rough Rock – support booklet for the charity for children bereaved through suicide children, produced by Winston’s Wish. Available on request from pwb.resources@southerntrust.hscni.net
- The Southern Area Protect Life Community And Voluntary Forum
Online platform launched to support communities after a sudden death
A new online platform has been launched to help support communities following a sudden death that is a suspected suicide.
Comkit is supported by the Public Health Agency (PHA) and has been developed with Urban Scale Interventions (USI) in partnership with Families’ Voices Forum as well as community and voluntary groups who are members of local Protect Life Implementation Groups (PLIGS) from five health and social care trusts.
It can be accessed at www.comkit.info