Suicide rates

Mental Health Nursing,  Mar 2005  

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The suicide rate for young men has fallen to its lowest level for almost 20 years, falling almost 30 percent from its peak in 1998. The second report published recently measures the progress of England's national suicide prevention strategy. This drop is the first sustained downward trend since the problem of suicides in this group first escalated 25 years ago.

The overall death rate from suicide in the most recent period (2001-03) has fallen to 8.6 deaths per 100,000 population. This marks a reduction of 6% from the baseline rate in 1995-7 of 9.2 deaths per 100,000. The rate has been steadily falling for the past five years.

The report outlines actions where progress is being made by the Department of Health and the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE). Visit www.nimrie.org.uk

These include:

* Young men are being targeted to seek help earlier and access services and support when in distress - this is via specific mental health promotion pilots in Camden, Manchester and Bedfordshire.

* Suicide prevention training pilots are being run for staff in mental health units and prisons. Training is provided in suicide risk assessment, crisis management and crisis prevention. The pilots are in the North West and South East.

* A number of coroners' records of suicide cases have been examined. These studies have helped inform the Department's work to develop interventions to reduce suicides, and suggested ways of reducing access to the means of suicide - eg. by restricting medication where people are at risk.

* Setting up a study of deliberate self-harm in three centres in England to help provide accurate data, trends and patterns in deliberate self-harm.

* The launch of a five-year programme to tackle stigma and discrimination on mental health grounds. This will include workshops at journalism colleges to inform and advise students about reporting of suicides in the media.

* The Social Exclusion Unit has published its report on mental health and social exclusion.

CONTACTS

Professional officer

Brian Rogers

tel 07860 702303

Brian.Rogers@amicustheunion.org

Copyright Community Psychiatric Nurses Association Mar 2005
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