Section 7: Training, review and continuous improvement
Training, periodic review, and continuous improvement are essential to sustaining suicide prevention efforts over time. This section provides guidance on training requirements, how to review and update procedures, learning from incidents, and building a culture of continuous improvement.
Purpose
The purpose of this section is to:
- Define training requirements for different staff groups
- Establish a schedule for reviewing and updating suicide prevention procedures
- Embed learning from incidents into continuous improvement
- Create feedback loops with assessors to strengthen practice
7.1 Training requirements
| Training level | Target audience | Content focus | Frequency |
| Awareness training | All staff | Suicide prevention overview; risk factors in veterinary practice; how to respond to concerns; signposting | Annual (minimum); refresher every 2 years |
| Intermediate training | Managers, supervisors, designated support staff | Recognition of warning signs; supportive conversations; escalation pathways; confidentiality; intervention techniques | Initial and annual refresher |
| Specialist training | Responsible person, occupational health leads, mental health champions | Deep dive on risk assessment, intervention, crisis management, post-incident response, safeguarding | Initial and biennial refresher |
Suggested training providers
- AWARE (Northern Ireland) Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
- Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England
- Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Wales
- National Suicide Prevention Alliance (NSPA)
- Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
- Veterinary Defence Society (VDS)
- Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD)
- RCVS Academy (free CPD on Suicide Awareness Fundamentals)
- RCVS Knowledge (Managing veterinary medicines)
Training records
For each staff member, record:
- Training level completed
- Training provider and course title
- Date completed
- Certification or competency assessment
- Next refresh date
7.2 Periodic review of plans and procedures
| Trigger | Scope of review | Responsibility | Frequency | Evidence |
| Annual cycle | All procedures, training, risk assessment, systems | Responsible person and team | Annual | Review meeting minutes; updated documentation |
| Serious incident or death | Comprehensive review; learning investigation; external support if needed | Responsible person and external advisor | Within 4 weeks of incident | Incident review report; action plan |
| Staff feedback | Targeted review of areas flagged in surveys or feedback | Manager and team | As needed (minimum annually) | Staff survey data; action plan |
| Regulatory or legislative change | Review procedures against updated guidance | Responsible person | As needed | Updated documentation |
| Change in practice structure | Review procedures against new staffing, premises, or service changes | Responsible person | Within 4 weeks of change | Updated risk assessment; procedure revision |
7.3 Learning from incidents
When a serious incident occurs (suicide attempt, self-harm, disclosure of concerning thoughts), the veterinary workplace should:
- Conduct a structured review without blame or judgment
- Identify what, if any, warning signs were present and whether they were recognised
- Identify what systems or procedures worked well
- Identify gaps or breakdowns in procedure
- Develop an action plan to address identified gaps
- Share learning with the team (without breaching confidentiality of the individual involved)
For further information about suicide postvention (post-incident) support, please refer to Vetlife postvention guidance.
7.4 PSS assessor feedback loops
The veterinary workplace should:
- Use feedback from RCVS assessors to identify areas for improvement
- Include assessor recommendations in the annual review
- Track actions arising from assessor feedback
- Demonstrate improvements in the next assessment cycle
This creates a continuous feedback loop between the veterinary workplace and the assessment process.
7.5 Continuous improvement model
The foundation of continuous improvement is the Plan-Implement-Review-Evidence (PIRE) cycle:
- PLAN: Identify what needs to be done (based on risk assessment, staff feedback, incident learning, assessor feedback)
- IMPLEMENT: Put the plan into action; communicate changes; train staff; allocate resources
- REVIEW: Assess whether the changes have been effective; gather staff feedback; monitor incidents and concerns
- EVIDENCE: Document what was done, how it was done, and what the outcomes were
This cycle repeats continuously, allowing the veterinary workplace to learn and improve over time.
Cross-references
Section 2: Roles, responsibilities and boundaries
Section 3: Workplace-level suicide prevention planning
Section 6: Responding to concerns, confidentiality and intervention