A report said that self-harm and suicide attempts in psychiatric hospitals could be reduced by regularly checking on patients, raising the proportion of qualified nurses, and organizing more patient activity sessions.
Source: Len Bowers et al., The City 128 Study of Observation and Outcomes on Acute Psychiatric Wards, National Institute for Health Research (enquiries@nihr.ac.uk)
Links: Report | City University press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-May
A report by an official agency said that good progress was being made towards meeting the government target to reduce suicides in England by 20 per cent by 2010.
Source: National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England: Annual Report on Progress 2006, National Institute for Mental Health in England/National Health Service (0113 254 5000)
Links: Report| DH press release | Mind press release
Date: 2007-Apr
Researchers conducted an epidemiological analysis of suicide in Scotland during the period 1989-2004. Male suicide rates increased by 22 per cent and female suicide rates by 6 per cent during the period. The higher the level of socio-economic deprivation, the higher the standardized suicide mortality ratio. The suicide rate was significantly higher in the lowest social class than in other social classes in all local areas, irrespective of the degree of socio-economic deprivation in the area where people lived.
Source: Stephen Platt, Paul Boyle, Iain Crombie, Zhiqiang Feng and Dan Exeter, The Epidemiology of Suicide in Scotland 1989-2004: Examination of temporal trends and risk factors at national and local levels, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Date: 2007-Mar
There were 67 apparently self-inflicted deaths among prisoners in England and Wales in 2006 - a fall of 14 per cent compared with 2005, and the lowest figure since 1996.
Source: Press release 1 January 2007, Prison Service/Home Office (020 7273 4543)
Links: Prison Service press release
Date: 2007-Jan