Bid to cut suicide rates

Young men have a high risk of suicide

The government is to publish a strategy aimed at cutting the number of suicides on Monday.

It has set a target of reducing suicides by at least 20% by 2010, and wants to focus on identifying people at high risk.

The government is expected to target the 50% of people who try to commit suicide who have had no contact with psychiatric health services, such as young men.

It aims to raise awareness of potential warning signals which friends, family and other healthcare professionals should look out for.

The consultation document, published in April, spelt out several measures aimed at reducing the numbers of suicides including:

• Reducing the availability and lethality of suicidal methods
• Improving the reporting of suicidal behaviours in the media
• Promoting research on suicide prevention
• Promoting mental well-being in the wider population
• Reducing suicide risk amongst high-risk groups, such as young men

'Loss to society'

Around 5,000 people commit suicide each year. Rates have fallen amongst older men and women in the last 20 years, but there has been a rise in the numbers of young men taking their own lives.

It's now very clear that suicide is fully on the government's agenda

Simon Armson, The Samaritans

Measures to reduce suicides have already been taken, including cutting the number of pills sold in paracetamol packs.

The number of deaths related to the painkiller fell 10% between 1998 and 1999 after the move.

In prisons potential ligature points have been removed from cells and care suites.

Speaking at the launch of the consultation document, health minister Jacqui Smith said: "There are many different reasons why someone decides to take their own life and each suicide represents both an individual tragedy and a loss to society.

"There is not one easy answer to preventing suicide but the consultation sets out a range of co-ordinated activities to reduce and prevent suicide, which include reducing the availability and lethality of suicide methods and reducing the risk among high risk groups."

Simon Armson, chief executive of the Samaritans, told BBC News Online: "We greatly welcome the strategy.

"It's now very clear that suicide is fully on the government's agenda and therefore on society's agenda."