Joy Hibbins

Joy is the Founder and CEO of Suicide Crisis, a registered charity which runs a Suicide Crisis Centre. Her life was changed by a traumatic experience in 2012. She developed symptoms of PTSD, and within days was at the point of suicide. She was referred to the NHS crisis team and was eventually admitted to psychiatric hospital. Her experience of mental health services showed her that there was a need for an alternative type of care for people in crisis. The Suicide Crisis Centre opened in 2013, providing face to face support to people in Gloucestershire who are at risk of suicide. The charity also runs a Trauma Centre, which focuses on early intervention. Her book about the methods, ethos and approach of the charity is called Suicide Prevention Techniques: How A Suicide Crisis Service Saves Lives. It's published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers (Hachette UK) and can be pre-ordered from Amazon and other booksellers. Her author's royalties from the book are going directly to the charity Suicide Crisis. Representatives from the charity have given oral evidence to the Health Select Committee about the Suicide Crisis Centre and how it operates. They have also given a presentation about their work to the national advisory group which is chaired by the Government's adviser on suicide. The Suicide Crisis Centre is described as an example of "best practice", including by the Government in a letter last year. It has been featured on national television and in national and international newspapers.