Suicide prevention programme.

Suicide prevention programme.

A. Persaud.

National Institute for Mental Health in England. East Midlands Development Centre

The Policy Context

Our Healthier Nation Target:
“ To reduce the death rate from suicide by at least 20% by 2010”

The baseline rate and target

•OHN targets measure suicide rates using three year pooled rates

•Baseline rate
–9. 2 deaths per 100, 000 population in 1995/6/7

•Target
–7. 4 deaths per 100, 000 population in 2009/10/11

Programme of activity based on six goals

•To reduce risk in key high risk groups

•To promote mental well-being in the wider population

•To reduce the availability and lethality of suicide methods

•To improve reporting of suicidal behaviour in the media

•To promote research on suicide and suicide prevention

•To improve the monitoring of progress towards the Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation target for reducing suicide

NIMHE leads on implementation through one of its core programmes

Reduce Suicides in high risk groups

•People in contact with mental health services •History of D. S. H •Young men •Prisoners •Occupational groups - farmers - nurses - doctors

“ Reduce the number of suicides by people who are currently, or have been in recent contact with MH Services”

•Continue to develop and disseminate audit toolkit

••STORM risk assessment training package being piloted in a number of NHS Trusts in NW DC area

••National Patient Safety Agency has identified patient safety as a priority in acute mental health settings

Suicides by people in touch with mental health services (in 12 months prior to death) England 1997-2002

Reduce the number of suicides in the year following deliberate self harm

•Nice guidelines on self harm published in July 2004

•Multi centres monitoring of Deliberate Self Harm have been established in November 2004

•–sites located in Manchester, Leeds and Oxford ––aims to provide more accurate data on national trends and patterns

“Reduce the number of suicides by young men”

•Mental health promotion pilots targeting young men

•Established mental health promotion pilots to try and encourage young men to seek help earlier and access support

••Pilots chosen in Camden, North London, Bedfordshire and Manchester

••Thomas Coram Research Unit appointed to work with pilots to agree outcomes and evaluate work.

Mortality Rate from Intentional Self-harm and Injury of Undetermined Intent in young men (aged 20-34) in England

Three-year average rate, plotted against middle year of average (1969-2003)

Suicide by Prisoners

•Expansion of mental health services in prisons

•Implementation of a health – screening tool on reception to help identity those at risk

•Awareness training for prison staff

•Safer cell designs

“Promote mental well-being in the wider population”

•Specific groups identified

•Fiver year strategic plan to challenge stigma and discrimination

•Social Exclusion Unit report published

•National Advisory Group for Mental Health Promotion

Reduce the availability and lethality of suicide methods

•Action on ligatures and ligature points

•Research studies
- coroners based investigations of specific methods of suicide

•Phased withdrawal of co-proxamol

“Promote the responsible representation of suicide behaviour in the media”

•5 Year Strategic Plan to tackle stigma and discrimination

•NIMHE will develop its media programme to ensure that journalists and editors have effective support on the reporting of suicides

•Internet sites/chat rooms promoting suicides

To promote research on suicide and suicide prevention

•Research Forum established

••Early priorities identified

••Literature review of Risk of Suicide and Self-Harm amongst Lesbian, Gay and bisexual Groups

••Research into risk factors for suicide and suicide attempts in different ethnic groups

To improve monitoring of progress towards the Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation target to reduce suicides

•Improve data collected

•An annual update will be published

Future Actions

•Collect and analyse data on local hot spots and consider preventative measures

••Develop audits to look at suicides in the community

Latest Position

•Baseline Rate 1995/6/7

- 9. 2 deaths per 100, 000 population •Target 2009/10/11 - 7. 4 deaths per 100, 000 population

•Latest Rate 2001/2/3 - 8. 6 deaths per 100, 000 population