Figures reveal the number of Nottinghamshire residents who took their own lives

New figures show how many Nottinghamshire residents lost their lives to suicide last year – as a change to the definition coroners use to decide whether somebody took their own life meant more deaths are likely to be included.
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Ministry of Justice figures show Nottinghamshire coroner's court completed 660 inquests into deaths in 2021 – 70 of which had a conclusion of suicide. This was up from 66 in 2020.

Coroners across England and Wales reached 4,820 suicide conclusions last year, up from 4,475 in 2020 and the highest level since records began in 1995.

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The MoJ said, though the inquests were completed in 2021, some of the deaths may have occurred prior, but cases were delayed due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Mental health charity Mind said not all suicides are mental health related, but a significant proportion of people who take their own lives have been in touch with mental health services.Mental health charity Mind said not all suicides are mental health related, but a significant proportion of people who take their own lives have been in touch with mental health services.
Mental health charity Mind said not all suicides are mental health related, but a significant proportion of people who take their own lives have been in touch with mental health services.

Samaritans said every life lost to suicide is a tragedy that can be prevented, but warned the figures should be treated with caution.

Elizabeth Scowcroft, Samaritans head of research and evaluation, said: “This is due to complexities in the process of determining a certain cause of death and the way suicides are recorded and reported.

“Official suicide data provided every year by the Office for National Statistics takes account of these complexities and is more likely to give a truer picture of the number of suicides for any year and whether the rates are increasing.

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“Their latest figures for 2020 indicate there had been no increase in the early parts of the pandemic, however, we are yet to understand the full impact.”

The charity said a 2018 High Court ruling – which lowered the standard of proof for a suicide verdict – has also meant more deaths are likely to be classified as suicide.

Men accounted for 75 per cent of lives lost to suicide last year. In total, there were 3,596, up from 3,417 in 2020.

Meanwhile, there was a 16 per cent annual increase in suicide conclusions for women.

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Nottinghamshire coroners court reached 57 verdicts of suicide for men in 2021, up from 52 the year before, and found 13 verdicts of suicide for women in last year, a decrease from 14 in 2020.

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Mental health

Mental health charity Mind said not all suicides are mental health-related, but a significant proportion of people who take their own lives have been in touch with mental health services.

Paul Spencer, Mind head of health policy and campaigns, said the Government's upcoming 10-year mental health plan must include suicide prevention and a standalone plan to indicate how they will reach their zero suicide ambition.

He also said urgent investment is needed in mental health services, along with greater engagement with organisations and groups that provide support for mental health in the community.

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He said: "The 10-year plan must set out how different government departments will work with other agencies to identify and tackle the many factors that can contribute to poor mental health and suicide, including problems with employment, finances, accessing benefits and housing.”

The Department of Health and Social Care said it is investing £2.3 billion a year into expanding and transforming mental health services by 2023-24.

Contact Samaritans for free at any time on 116 123, or visit samaritans.org