In a speech at the offices of the suicide prevention charity Papyrus in London today [Friday, June 24, 2022], Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid outlined efforts being taken to prevent suicides and urged men to talk about their mental health.
In his speech, prompted by his own family’s experience with suicide and bereavement following the death of his own brother, the Health and Social Care Secretary emphasized the importance of seeking help, as well as the extensive plans already in place to strengthen support services and new initiatives to reduce suicides.
These include a revised suicide prevention plan, improved services for bereaved families, and improved use of technology to better understand the causes of suicide.
Prior to his address, Mr Javid met with important stakeholders such as Papyrus to discuss suicide prevention and his personal ambition to increase accessible support, particularly for males.
He also met survivors of suicide, such as Philip Pirie, Harry Biggs-Davison, Mike McCarthy, and Steve Philip, whose sons died by suicide, as well as essential partners such as If U Care Share, Samaritans, and James Place.
Men can be hesitant to interact with health and other support services, and anyone in need is encouraged to speak with their doctor or self-refer to the NHS.
Over 5,000 suicides were recorded in England in 2021. Suicide is the leading cause of death in men under the age of 50, accounting for around three-quarters of all suicide fatalities each year.
Furthermore, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the mixed and white ethnic groups had the greatest rates of suicide in men.
Every 10 seconds, the Samaritans respond to a plea for aid, yet every 90 minutes, someone dies by suicide in the United Kingdom alone.
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said:
‘We must treat suicides with the same urgency that we treat any other major killer […].
‘I’m determined to make a difference on this issue […] and one of the ways we’ll do this is by publishing a new 10-year suicide prevention plan.
‘[…]This is something that is deeply personal to me – there are too many families that are left incomplete, and too much potential has gone unfulfilled.’
Mr. Javid described the efforts the government is taking to engage the most vulnerable populations, concentrating on socioeconomic and regional imbalances, enhancing services, and utilizing new technologies.
He announced that work would be done with experts to standardize safety guidance for front-line professionals working with at-risk people to ensure best practice, and that all MPs, parliamentary staff, and front-line government workers would have access to suicide prevention training to ensure they are equipped to interact with people in crisis.
Most people who have been bereaved by suicide within their immediate family will be contacted proactively by bereavement services within days of a referral to give help, alleviating the burden from the bereaved during their time of mourning.
In addition, he described increased use of applications and online services, as well as improved data collecting, including the launch of a nationwide suspected suicide surveillance system early next year, which would look at risk patterns and enable better mitigation strategies.
This will allow for a better understanding of tackling complex causes of suicide, particularly online via the Online Safety Bill, and ensuring that future law adjusts to fast emerging difficulties.
He said:
‘The Online Safety Bill gives us a once in a generation opportunity to tackle this issue. […]I will also work jointly across government to look at both upcoming and current legislation to make sure it meets the rapidly evolving challenges that we face.
‘Because when it comes to the encouragement of suicide we are currently relying on legislation that was primarily created long before the digital age.’
He discussed the new long-term Suicide Prevention Plan and how crucial it is that it is formed by public, professional, and lived experience viewpoints and experiences.
He also emphasized how the government is bolstering voluntary and community suicide prevention services with £5 million in funding in 2021/22 and reiterated the government’s commitment to improving support services so that by 2023-24, anyone in the country can dial NHS 111 to reach their local NHS mental health team and access round-the-clock support.
This would make England one of the world’s first countries to have such an offer.
Initially issuing the call for evidence on 12 April, the Health Secretary also particularly asked males to offer their opinions on how current services might be enhanced to assist build a new 10-year mental health plan as well as a revised National Suicide Prevention Plan.
The government is seeking comments on how the current program can be improved, as well as representation from all ages, genders, and backgrounds, particularly in light of the pandemic, which has resulted in record volumes of people seeking treatment. Men are especially encouraged to respond, as only 19% of respondents are male.
He urged:
‘I want to hear views from far and wide about how to shape this work and the roundtable that I chaired here earlier this morning was so illuminating.
‘I heard heart-breaking tales of love and loss but also inspirational stories of the work being done to divert people from this painful path, including of course here at Papyrus.
‘I am determined to make a difference on this issue.’
The 10-year plan will help address Covid backlogs, building on the NHS Long Term Plan, and is part of the government’s larger commitments to Build Back Fairer, working to put mental health on a level playing field with physical health, and is a key part of the commitments to address health disparities across the country and improve mental wellbeing by 2030.