A research study is underway in West Yorkshire aiming to improve the investigation process after death by suicide.
Researchers at the Yorkshire Quality and Safety Research Group, based at Bradford Institute for Health Research, are appealing for people who have experience of the serious incident investigation process, specifically following death by suicide, for a study which aims to provide insight into the process and how it might be more meaningful for all involved. 
In the UK, any death with an underlying cause of intentional self-harm, or death with an undetermined intent, is classed as death by suicide.
Most unexplained deaths or suspected suicides which occur while someone is under the care of an NHS organisation are reported as serious incidents – and therefore subject to an investigation.
This study – funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and part of the wider Learn Together project - aims to understand how organisations use the learning from such investigations to contribute to risk-management, how the learning could be improved and if it can contribute to more effective suicide prevention strategies.
Researchers would like to interview people who have experience of the serious incident investigation process such as investigators, commissioners, coroners and national patient safety policy makers.
They also want to explore if and how those affected – including family, friends, carers, colleagues – are involved in the investigation.
Anyone interested in taking part in a confidential research interview – approx. 60 minutes long – please contact senior research Siobhan McHugh on S.McHugh@leeds.ac.uk.