This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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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