<p>
	&#39;Counselling is relatively unregulated and that is the problem. People should go to trusted sources&#39;</p>
<p>
	A warning has been issued about some services offering suicide and mental health counselling which are not vetted and may be unsafe.</p>
<p>
	The HSE&#39;s National Office for Suicide Prevention said people in distress should avoid these services, because counsellors may not be fully trained or not basing their counselling on best evidence.</p>
<p>
	Director Gerry Raleigh advised people to check out a service in advance, and only attend the organisations and agencies which were endorsed by his office.</p>
<p>
	He said a list of these services was available at GP surgeries, and would also be featured on a new information website to be set up later this year. It comes as stark statistics show that 10 people a week are dying as a result of suicide, leaving families and communities in devastation.</p>
<p>
	The budget for the National Office for Suicide Prevention has risen by 8pc, giving it &euro;8.8m this year. &quot;Counselling is relatively unregulated and that is the problem. People should go to trusted sources and have a healthy scepticism,&quot; Dr Raleigh said.</p>
<p>
	He was unable to name any of the questionable services, but said that some were advertising and the office was aware of them anecdotally.</p>
<p>
	&quot;There are around 300 to 400 organisations involved in the suicide-prevention sector. Small groups can come together locally in response to a tragedy. They provide a network of support to one another and I don&#39;t dismiss them &ndash; they have a role.&quot;</p>
<p>
	CAMPAIGN</p>
<p>
	The organisation is to launch a free-call Connect number next month in partnership with the Samaritans which people can call and always be answered by somebody at the other end.</p>
<p>
	The new number will &quot;simplify the signposting to services for people who may be going through tough times,&quot; he said.</p>
<p>
	A new marketing campaign will also be launched in the autumn, which will aim to provide information on who and where people can get information.</p>
<p>
	The office provides training for health service staff and people in communities on how to respond to those at risk of suicidal behaviour. The recruitment of 34 nurses &ndash; who will be assigned to hospital emergency departments to help people who have engaged in self harm or made suicide attempts &ndash; will also be completed by June.</p>
<p>
	However, these nurses will not be available around the clock, he added.</p>
<p>
	The most recent reliable figures the office has on suicide relate to 2011 showing that 550 people took their own lives, a rise on the 2010 statistics. They do not take into account unexplained deaths.</p>
<p>
	There has been an increase in the number of middle-aged men taking their own lives and analysis has indicated factors such as unemployment, alcohol use and relationship breakdown may have a role.</p>
<p>
	Asked about teenage suicides, he said the gap between a young person suffering emotional distress and carrying out an act of self harm can be very short.</p>
<p>
	&quot;It can be spontaneous and this makes it difficult to address. It leaves unanswered questions,&quot; he added.</p>
<p>
	Further information on funded agencies is available at www.nosp.ie/html/funding.html.</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/hse-warning-over-use-of-unvetted-suicide-counselling-services-30025653.html">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/hse-warning-over-use-of-unvetted-suicide-counselling-services-30025653.html</a></p>
