A report said that over 50 homicides were committed each year in England and Wales by mental health patients. Many followed poor recognition of risk by mental health services. But the number of cases was not increasing, and the risk of random killings by mentally ill people had not risen in the previous 30 years. 49 per cent of patients who committed suicide had been in contact with services in the previous week: but at final contact, immediate suicide risk had been estimated to be low or absent in 86 per cent of cases.
Source: Avoidable Deaths, National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness (0161 2750700)
Links: Report | Summary | NCI press release | MHA press release | Mind press release | Rethink press release | SAMH press release | RCPsych press release | Police Fed press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Dec
The national suicide rate fell in 2004-05, to stand at its lowest ever level. The three-year average was 8.5 deaths per 100,000, down from a baseline of 9.4 deaths per 100,000 in 1995.
Source: Press release 25 October 2006, Department of Health (020 7210 4850)
Links: DH press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Oct
A report examined the infrastructure put in place (nationally and locally) to support the Scottish Executive's suicide prevention strategy, and progress to date. It also made recommendations to guide the next phase of the action plan.
Source: Stephen Platt et al., Evaluation of the First Phase of Choose Life: The national strategy and action plan to prevent suicide in Scotland, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Sep
An article examined suicide trends between 1991 and 2004. Suicide rates fell over the period: but this decrease did not occur in all areas. Large disparities remained between suicide rates in the countries of the United Kingdom, and between regions and local areas. The article presented inequalities in suicide rates by deprivation; and it considered change over time for men and women, and for different age groups.
Source: Anita Brock et al., 'Suicide trends and geographical variations in the United Kingdom, 1991 2004', Health Statistics Quarterly 31, Autumn 2006, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article | ONS press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Aug
A report called on the prison service to develop 'first night in custody' centres in women s prisons to help reduce self-harm and suicide.
Source: Care, Concern and Carpets, Howard League for Penal Reform (020 7249 7373)
Links: HLPR press release | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Jun
Suicide rates for males fell in 2004 for the sixth successive year. Rates for females were broadly unchanged.
Source: Mortality Statistics: Injury and Poisoning - Review of the Registrar General on deaths attributed to injury and poisoning in England and Wales, 2004, Series DH4 29, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: Report | ONS press release
Date: 2006-Jun
A study found that community-based locations such as youth centres, and youth-oriented services, offered a more successful means of engaging with young men at risk of suicide than more formal settings such as family doctor surgeries.
Source: Chris Oliver and Pamela Storey, Evaluation of Mental Health Promotion Pilots to Reduce Suicide Amongst Young Men, National Institute for Mental Health in England/National Health Service (0113 254 5000)
Links: Report | Summary | DH press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Jun
A new book examined the findings of the first large-scale survey of deliberate self-harm and suicidal thinking in adolescents in the United Kingdom, and drew out the implications for prevention strategies and mental health promotion.
Source: Keith Hawton and Karen Rodham with Emma Evans, By Their Own Young Hand: Deliberate self-harm and suicidal ideas in adolescents, Jessica Kingsley Publishers (020 7833 2307)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Jun
A report said that the suicide rate for the 3 years 2002-2004 was 8.56 deaths per 100,000 population - a reduction of 6.6 per cent from the 1995-1997 baseline.
Source: National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England: Annual Report on Progress 2005, National Institute for Mental Health in England/National Health Service (0113 254 5000)
Links: Report | DH press release
Date: 2006-Apr
An inquiry found that more needed to be done to help young people who self-harmed. Teachers, doctors and social workers did not receive the training they needed to deal with self-harm cases.
Source: National Inquiry into Self-harm among Young People, Truth Hurts, Mental Health Foundation (020 7803 1100) and Camelot Foundation
Links: Report | Inquiry press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Mar
An article examined the association of occupation with suicide in men in Scotland. The largest number of male deaths in groups with elevated suicide rates occurred in low-paying occupations, such as labourers.
Source: Cameron Stark et al., 'Male suicide and occupation in Scotland', Health Statistics Quarterly 29, Spring 2006, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article
Date: 2006-Feb