Plan to prevent suicides across Notts as some districts see numbers rising

Data given to the council’s health and wellbeing board shows suicide rates in Newark & Sherwood and Bassetlaw are increasing.

But rates in Mansfield have fallen dramatically in the last 10 years, along with Ashfield, Gedling and the county as a whole, where rates have also dropped.

Councillors were told that the county’s integrated care system had been successful in securing a three-year programme on suicide prevention.

Plans include further suicide awareness training and targeted communications for students, older adults and those at risk of self-harm.

Dr Robyn Wight said: “In Nottinghamshire, we have lost 188 people to suicide in the last three years.

“Suicide has a significant, lasting and often devastating impact on individuals, friends, family and the wider community.

“The suicide rates in Nottinghamshire as a whole have remained stable over the last 10 years.”

Deprived

Catherine Pritchard, consultant in public health, told the board: “We know people who live in deprived areas are more at risk of suicide.”

The report given to councillors states certain groups are more at risk of suicide including men, people in the care of mental health services, people in contact with the criminal justice system, and children who have experienced abuse.

People who work as doctors, nurses, veterinary workers, farmers and agricultural workers are also more at risk.

The council’s Suicide Prevention Action Plan was refreshed and endorsed by councillors at the meeting.

A council report stated: “In Nottinghamshire, the latest data demonstrates average suicide rates from 2018-20 have reduced compared with 2017-19.

“The average suicide rate has reduced to 8.6 from 9.1 in Nottinghamshire. In Nottinghamshire, the number of suicide deaths has decreased to 188 between 2018 and 2020, compared with 199 between 2017 and 2019.”

The report said, that between 2018 and 2020, there were 24 suicide deaths in Ashfield, 18 in Mansfield, 35 in Newark & Sherwood and 20 in Gedling, among the 188 across the county.