This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
First suicide prevention strategy launched
02/12/2002
Scotland's first national suicide prevention strategy
which aims to tackle the rising rate of suicides by
achieving a 20 per cent reduction in the suicide rate by
2013 was officially launched today.
Choose Life, Preventing Suicide in Scotland: A National
Strategy and Action Plan announces new investment of £12
million over the next three years to support national and
local action.
Of the total, £9 million is committed for supporting
local joint working and training and encouraging local
innovation at community level with, at national level, £3
million to support and oversee implementation of the
strategy.
In Scotland there were 887 suicides in 2001 - a 22 per
cent increase over the last 20 years.
The rate of increase is one of the highest in Europe.
The rate for males is almost three times that for females.
For young females, the number of those in their early teens
being treated for self-harm is also a cause for
concern.
Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm said:
"Suicide touches the lives of many people and is a
devastating event. It affects all age groups and
communities in Scotland. The emotional, social and
practical repercussions of suicide are far reaching, felt
by family members, friends, colleagues, neighbours and by
people working in services.
"Preventing suicide and reducing the rate of suicide in
Scotland is an urgent public health issue. It goes right to
the heart of our effort and policies to create a healthy,
socially inclusive Scotland.
"If we tackle suicide as a 'one issue' policy we will
fail. In addressing this very serious issue we will work
collectively across the Executive - be it economic, social
justice, inequality, health, local government, policies for
children and young people, for better public services or
for improved mental health.
"Much good work is already being done throughout
Scotland. This work must continue but we need to achieve
more. Reducing the rate of suicide is not something we can
change overnight. This is a long term strategy with
collective responsibility and action."
The priority groups who should benefit particularly from
the strategy are children, young people, people with mental
health problems, people who attempt suicide, people
affected by suicidal behaviour, those who abuse substances
and people in prison.
Seven clear objectives are outlined by the strategy for
national and local action on:
- Early Prevention and Intervention: providing
earlier intervention and support to prevent problems
and reduce the risks that might lead to suicidal
behaviour
- Responding to Immediate Crisis: providing support
and services to people at risk and people in crisis, to
provide an immediate crisis response and to help reduce
the severity of any immediate problem
- Longer term Work to provide Hope and Support
Recovery: providing on-going support services to enable
people to recover and deal with the issues that may be
contributing to their suicidal behaviour
- Coping with Suicidal behaviour and Completed
Suicide: providing effective support to those who are
affected by suicidal behaviour or a completed
suicide
- Promoting Greater Public Awareness and Encouraging
People to Seek Help Early: ensuring greater public
awareness of positive mental health and well-being,
suicidal behaviour, potential problems and risks
amongst all age groups and encouraging people to seek
help early
- Supporting the Media: ensuring that any depiction
of reporting by all sections of the media of a
completed suicide or suicidal behaviour is undertaken
sensitively and appropriately and with due respect for
confidentiality
- Knowing what Works: improving the quality,
collection, availability and dissemination of
information on issues relating to suicide behaviour
(and self-harm) and on effective interventions to
ensure the better design and implementation of
responses and services and use of resources
The strategy will also be supported by a new web-based
public mental health resource service which will provide
information on suicide, suicidal behaviour and effective
intervention to those working in the field of suicide
prevention.
A number of milestones are to be placed, marking the
progress of the plan towards its target. Progress will be
also closely monitored by the strategy National
Implementation Support team through the General Registrar
Office Scotland statistics and through the public mental
health indicators being developed by the Public Health
Institute Scotland (PHIS).
The General Registrars Office figures for the suicide
and undetermined deaths in Scotland show in 2001: 887
Total: 241 female, 646 male ( 27.1 per cent female, 72.8
per cent male), giving a rate of 9.2 and 26.5 per 100,000
population respectively. (By convention undetermined deaths
are included with those from suicide when presenting these
figures)
Public Mental Health Resource Service information will
be available on:
7. The Scottish Executive supports the see me campaign
addressing the stigma and discrimination which is often
associated with mental ill-health