The Strategy focuses on the following priority areas:
- Improving data and evidence to ensure that effective, evidence-informed and timely interventions continue to be adapted.
- Providing tailored and targeted support to priority groups, including those at higher risk. This includes; children and young people; middled-aged men; people who have self-harmed; people in contact with the mental health system; people in contact with the criminal-justice system; autistic people; pregnant women and new mothers.
- Addressing common risk factors linked to suicide at a population level by providing early intervention and tailored support. These are; physical illness; financial difficulty and economic adversity; gambling; alcohol and drug misuse; social isolation and loneliness; domestic abuse.
- Promoting online safety and responsible media content to reduce harms, improve support and signposting, and provide helpful messages about suicide and self-harm.
- Providing effective crisis support across sectors for those who reach crisis point.
- Reducing access to means and methods of suicide where this is appropriate and necessary as an intervention to prevent suicides.
- Providing effective bereavement support to those affected by suicide.
- Making suicide everybody’s business so that we can maximise our collective impact and support to prevent suicides.
It sets out over 100 actions led by government departments, the NHS, the voluntary sector and other national partners to make progress against these areas, particularly over the next 2 years.
Cygnet’s Suicide Prevention Lead, Dr Naresh Rasquinha, has responded to the strategy launch.
He said: “This strategy is much-needed if we are to create suicide-safer communities.
“Suicide is the biggest killer of people under the age of 35 however, crucially, we know that suicide is preventable. The effects of suicide reach into every community across the UK and has a devastating impact on families, friends, neighbours, colleagues and others. By working together, we can ensure that every person we know is protected from the risk of suicide and its damaging impact on so many lives. That is why I welcome the Government’s target to reduce suicide rates and ensure help is available to people before they reach crisis point. Implemented correctly and with the appropriate commitment and resources dedicated to it, this strategy has the potential to construct a brighter future for people with mental health needs.
“The healthcare community, local authorities and all relevant organisations must now come together, with common priorities and a coordinated approach, to ensure more lives are saved. All stakeholders need to feel compelled to get behind the strategy and do what is required to reduce the numbers of deaths by suicide.
“The strategy also rightly mentions that crucial to these ambitions is ensuring everyone has the skills, knowledge and confidence to provide necessary support and intervention. It is imperative that we do all we can to reduce stigma as we know this is often a barrier to people seeking support. No matter who we are, we all have a role in creating safe spaces for people to speak up and seek support.”