Getting further help
Encourage the person to make an appointment with their GP, or to call one of the helplines below. You can even call them yourself to talk things through – dealing with suicide can be difficult.
- Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87 (24 hours at weekends, Fri–Mon 6pm–6am and Mon–Thurs 6pm–2am)
- Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 (24 hours, 7 days a week)
“We’re here to help. We’re here for you when you’re feeling down.”
The Choose Life strategy has six objectives:
- identify and intervene to reduce suicidal behaviour in high risk groups
- develop and implement a co-ordinated approach to reduce suicidal behaviour
- ensure interventions to reduce suicidal behaviour are informed by evidence from research and evaluated appropriately
- provide support to those affected by suicidal behaviour
- provide education and training about suicidal behaviour and promote awareness about the help available
- reduce availability and lethality of methods used in suicidal behaviour.
Who is involved?
The responsibility for achieving these aims lies with both national and local organisations including the Scottish Government, NHS, local authorities and voluntary organisations. There is a national monitoring group that meets quarterly to monitor progress.
High-risk groups
Suicide prevention in Scotland is treated as a population-wide issue but the latest refresh of the National Strategy and Action Plan has identified the following groups as at particularly high risk:
- people experiencing mental illness (primarily depression and bi-polar disorder)
- people who misuse substances – especially alcohol
- people with co-existing mental illness and substance misuse
- people who have a history of self-harm or who have attempted suicide
- people in psychiatric care and those recently discharged from psychiatric hospital
- people recently bereaved
- people living in areas of socio-economic deprivation
- people with low socio-economic status
- people who are unemployed
- people who have experienced life stress – especially physical and/or sexual abuse
- people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
9 Responses
When the last Goverment came into power it changed its policies so that Doctors could no longer have ready access to suicide Data , , You can go to The Office of National statistics which will cost Hundreds of pounds , this information is not available under FOI . Is this because it will reveal reflect whay has gone wrong with Sociaety or the economy and also drugs prescribed by GPs that alter Brain Chemicals !!!
http://www.ic.nhs.uk/news-and-events/news/hospital-admissions-for-intentional-self-harm-increase-by-nearly-10000-in-three-years-says-new-report-which-also-shows-seasonal-variation-in-admission-numbers
Joe Kane shared this data on Facebook:
Anyway, for what’s it’s worth, here are two articles related to today’s initiative announced by NHS Health Scotland on suicide prevention –
Half ‘would not ask about suicide’
Herald (Glasgow)
05 Sept 2011
http://breakingnews.heraldscotland.com/breaking-news/?mode=article&site=hs&id=N0183471315128517401A
Scots reluctant to ask others about suicidal intentions
BBC Scotland
05 Sept 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14779653
Joe Kane Thanks for that info Gill.
I get the feeling the authorities are very cagey about official statistics on suicide. Trying to find info on UK suicide rates on the government’s official statistics website isn’t very productive compared to that for Scotland.
UK suicide stats –
Suicides and Intentional Self-harm
ONS – Office of National Statistics
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/taxonomy/index.html?nscl=Suicides+and+Intentional+Self-harm
Scottish suicide stats –
Suicide Statistics 2010
http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Public-Health/Publications/index.asp#594
Some more links if anyone is interested –
Past editions of ‘Suicide Statistics’
ONS
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/release-calendar/index.html?newquery*&uday=0&umonth=0&uyear=0&title=Suicide+Statistics&pagetype=calendar-entry&lday=&lmonth=&lyear=
Mortality Rates
ONS
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/taxonomy/index.html?nscl=Mortality+Rates
Suicide rates per 100,000 by country, year and sex (Table)
Most recent year available; as of 2011
WHO – World Health Organisation
http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide_rates/en/index.html
Wikipedia is always useful as a handy sources of references and links to more reliable info –
List of countries by suicide rate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rate
Suicides and Intentional Self-harm
http://www.ons.gov.uk
It nice to see that their is a campaign support people. In my case and l make no secret that l have made plan’s for myself, as l will not attend an atos medical.
I know what you mean Simon. I’m wondering about what’s the least painful and scary option when the time comes. Take care pal.
Having failed my (first) Appeals Tribunal last week, I’m utterly shattered. I’m not in a very nice place at all. My only crime is having a chronic illness which the NHS doesn’t take seriously, ME.
I’ve just been off the phone to the Jobcentre applying for ESA. I’ve no idea what my rights are or what’s going to happen to me.
Anyway, for what’s it’s worth, here are two articles related to today’s initiative announced by NHS Health Scotland on suicide prevention –
Half ‘would not ask about suicide’
Herald (Glasgow)
05 Sept 2011
http://breakingnews.heraldscotland.com/breaking-news/?mode=article&site=hs&id=N0183471315128517401A
Scots reluctant to ask others about suicidal intentions
BBC Scotland
05 Sept 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14779653
Thanks for that info Gill.
I get the feeling the authorities are very cagey about official statistics on suicide. Trying to find info on UK suicide rates on the government’s official statistics website isn’t very productive compared to that for Scotland.
UK suicide stats –
Suicides and Intentional Self-harm
ONS – Office of National Statistics
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/taxonomy/index.html?nscl=Suicides+and+Intentional+Self-harm
Scottish suicide stats –
Suicide Statistics 2010
http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Public-Health/Publications/index.asp#594
Some more links if anyone is interested –
Past editions of ‘Suicide Statistics’
ONS
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/release-calendar/index.html?newquery=*&uday=0&umonth=0&uyear=0&title=Suicide+Statistics&pagetype=calendar-entry&lday=&lmonth=&lyear=
Mortality Rates
ONS
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/taxonomy/index.html?nscl=Mortality+Rates
Suicide rates per 100,000 by country, year and sex (Table)
Most recent year available; as of 2011
WHO – World Health Organisation
http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide_rates/en/index.html
Wikipedia is always useful as a handy sources of references and links to more reliable info –
List of countries by suicide rate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rate
*http://www.ic.nhs.uk/news-and-events/news/hospital-admissions-for-intentional-self-harm-increase-by-nearly-10000-in-three-years-says-new-report-which-also-shows-seasonal-variation-in-admission-numbers*
Joe my thought go out to you, am luck as l have no problem with death but you are right about having a pain free way to go. l really hope that you will not need to go down that road in fact l know you will not need to worry things will work out for you
who with a problem, hasn’t been thinking about it, this government and rightwing media hounding the unemployed, they want us dead, that what i feel they are saying, so they can go and sell their guns in peace 🙁