The Health Minister, Jackie Doyle-Price, has been appointed Minister for Suicide Prevention. This is a new post and she will lead a taskforce of national and local government, self-harm charities and those personally affected by suicide to drive forward a mental health strategy.
She will also ensure every local area has a suicide prevention plan in place, and look at how technology can be used to identify those most at risk.
To understand the need for this appointment here are the statistics (from the ‘Suicide Statistics Report’ carried out by the Samaritans for the UK and the Republic of Ireland).
In 2017 there were 6,213 suicides in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (ROI).
5,821 suicides were registered in the UK and 392 occurred in ROI.
In the UK men remain three times as likely to take their own lives than women, and in the ROI four times more likely.
The highest suicide rate in the UK was for men aged 45 – 49.
The highest suicide rate in the ROI was for men aged 25 – 34 (with an almost identical rate for men aged 45 – 54).
There has been a significant decrease in male suicide in the UK, and the male suicide rate is the lowest in over 30 years.
The suicide rate in Scotland decreased between 2016 and 2017 – this appears to be driven by a decrease in the female suicide rate.
Suicide in young men in Scotland increased for the third consecutive year in 2017.
Suicide has also continued to fall in both males and females in the ROI
Rates in the ROI have fluctuated more than in the UK in recent years, but is currently at its lowest since 1989.
Jackie Doyle-Price – Minister For Suicide Prevention
She is a Conservative Politician and is the Member of Parliament for Thurrock. She was appointed Minister for Suicide Prevention (a new ministry) on 10th October 2018.
The statistics show that suicide rates are falling but thousands still take their own lives every year. The Prime Minister stated, when making the announcement, that the new role will help tackle the sigma around suicide.
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