Every suicide that takes place is a tragedy and it’s everybody’s business to work together to tackle this tragic loss of life and support all of those affected by it.
Responding to a report on council suicide prevention plans, published by the Samaritans and the University of Exeter, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, said:
“Every suicide that takes place is a tragedy and it’s everybody’s business to work together to tackle this tragic loss of life and support all of those affected by it. Suicide prevention is a public health priority for local government and every council has a suicide prevention plan in place.
“This new independent research shows that there is strong leadership from councils’ public health teams on suicide prevention, with many excellent initiatives delivered in partnership to help drive down suicide rates.
“Councils are already working closely with schools, railway operators, supermarkets, hospitals and the police to prevent suicide and help those affected by it and are committed to further strengthening their prevention plans, alongside the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) and other partners.
“The Prime Minister’s recent announcement that the LGA and ADPH will receive funding to help further strengthen local action to reduce and prevent suicide is a clear endorsement of councils’ locally-driven approach and a recognition that by working together and supporting one another, we can reduce rates of suicide and save lives.”
Notes to editors
- Councils in England face an overall funding gap of £8 billion by 2025. The LGA’s #CouncilsCan campaign aims to influence the forthcoming Spending Review and highlight the growing risk to vital local services if the Government does not take action to secure the financial sustainability of councils.
#CouncilsCan: Spending Review 2019
With the right funding and powers, councils can continue to lead local areas, improve residents’ lives, reduce demand for public services and save money for the taxpayer. Securing the financial sustainability of local services must be the top priority for the Spending Review.
- Samaritans and the University of Exeter were commissioned by the Association of Directors for Public Health (ADPH) and the Local Government Association (LGA) with support from Public Health England to conduct research into local-level suicide prevention planning in England. The report is also available to read on the Samaritans website.
- The research is based upon a self-assessment survey completed by 150 out of 152 councils with public health responsibilities between 1 October 2018 and 1 November 2018.
- As of April 2019, according to Public Health England, every council has a local suicide prevention plan in place
- LGA responds to Prime Minister's announcement on mental health