Suicide (health and wellbeing needs in South Tyneside)

The National Suicide Prevention Strategy was produced in September 2012 by the Department of Health and recognised that suicide is a major issue for society and a leading cause of years of life lost. The strategy outlines two main objectives

• to reduce the suicide rate in the general population in England 
• to provide better support for those bereaved or affected by suicide

A local South Tyneside suicide prevention action group has been examining a range of national guidance and local information, including the local suicide audit to understand more about the profile of individuals who have taken their own life in the borough.

There is good evidence about actions that can be taken at a local level to reduce the likelihood or opportunity for suicide, which the group has started to translate into an action plan.

The six key areas that are highlighted for action in the National Strategy and will also be taken forward locally by partners led by the Public Health team are:

1. Reduce the risk of suicide in key high risk groups including; young and middle aged men, people in the care of mental health services, people with a history of self-harm; people in contact with the criminal justice system and some specific occupational groups.

2. Tailor approaches to improve mental health in specific groups including; children and young people; survivors of abuse or violence; veterans; people living with long-term physical health conditions; people with untreated depression; people who are especially vulnerable due to social and economic circumstances; people who misuse drugs or alcohol; lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, people from minority ethnic backgrounds, and asylum seekers.

3. Reduce access to the means of suicide; the national guidance suggests tackling: hanging and strangulation in psychiatric inpatient and criminal justice settings; self-poisoning; those in high-risk locations; and those on the rail and underground networks.

4. Provide better information and support to those bereaved or affected by suicide; it is important to: provide effective and timely support of the families bereaved or affected by suicide; have a place effective local response to the aftermath of a suicide and provided information and support for families friends and colleagues who are concerned about someone who may be at risk of suicide.

5. Support the media in delivering sensitive approaches to suicide and suicidal behaviour. The government wants to promote the responsible report of suicide in the press and to support the internet industry to remove content that encourage suicide and provide ready access to suicide prevention services.

6. Support research, data collection and monitoring. The government will continue to support high-quality research on suicide, suicide prevention and self-harm through the National Institute of health Research and the policy Research Programme. Work will also continue regarding data monitoring and National Framework Public Health indictors.

Many of these actions are not within the remit of the health or social services, but require very much a multi-agency approach e.g. criminal justice system (police, probation and prison), local authority (providing housing, reducing access to bridges etc.), coroner's office (information collection), third sector (e.g. debt advice, bereavement counselling or providing advice and support).

The action plan will be reviewed on a yearly basis.