The government and local authorities have published a 10-year strategy to tackle the factors and inequalities that can lead to suicide. The plan includes new approaches to address the social issues that can cause people to feel suicidal, and helping at the earliest opportunity.
What are the main points?
- Improving the way services identify, assess and care for someone who is suicidal
- Investing in peer support to help guide wellbeing and recovery
- Focusing on safety planning if people have suicidal thoughts
- Prioritising work on reaching people with heightened risk of suicide
- Bringing insights on poverty and marginalised groups into work
- Focusing on the needs of children and young people, and working alongside them
- Widening support to anyone affected, including families, friends and carers.
Expert Thought: Kevin Stewart
Mental wellbeing minister
Every death by suicide is a tragedy and, while the number of deaths has fallen in recent years, I want to use every lever at our disposal to drive that down further. That’s why we are taking a new approach to suicide prevention.
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