Copying Scots' anti-suicide plan

Scotland has the UK's highest suicide rate

After an apparent spate of suicides in Bridgend, the Welsh Assembly Government is to discuss plans for a suicide prevention action plan. A similar strategy already exists in Scotland.

Since September 2006, 21 young people have apparently killed themselves in the south Wales former mining area.

In a fresh impetus, Wales Health Minister Edwina Hart has announced an anti-suicide campaign, modelled on a similar project in Scotland.

Launched by the Scottish Executive in December 2002, Choose Life specifically targets those groups who are most at risk of suicide: young people, people with mental health problems, those with a record of self-harm, drug-users and prisoners.

It works, its leaders say, by encouraging self-help at a community level.

Email Samaritans

Elaine Campbell, from The Western Isles Choose Life project, counts the Hebridean suicide prevention week every September as one of her successes.

She says: "Last year, we engaged with between 400 and 500 people - people who we would not otherwise come into contact with."

A further 400 people the length and breadth of the Hebridean islands have received training in how to recognise the symptoms of someone with suicidal feelings.

Trainees include teachers, police officers, church ministers, coastguards and tradesmen.

By 2013 - when the Choose Life strategy is complete - Ms Campbell hopes that 1,500 people will be qualified in suicide 'awareness'.

The aims of the Choose Life strategy include providing support for those affected by suicidal behaviour, raising awareness and encouraging people to seek help early.

The strategy also aims to support the media in reporting on suicide.

Among other things, Choose Life in the Western Isles is also funding the local Samaritans to provide an email service and a drop-in centre.

More deaths, not less

So just how successful is the Scottish blueprint at a national level?

Choose Life set itself an ambitious target: reduce suicides in Scotland by 20% over a 10-year period.

At the half-way point, there's reason for some optimism.

In 2006, the most recent year for which figures are available, Choose Life says there were 765 suicides in Scotland.

A decade earlier, the figure was 837.

SCOTTISH SUICIDES IN FIGURES 2004: men 607 women 226 2003: men 576 women 216 2002: men 673 women 221 2001: men 644 women 240 Read the Scottish study in full

But the long-term trends are more worrying.

In a breakdown of Scottish suicides between 1989 and 2004, a study found rates among males had actually increased by 22%. For women, the rise was 6%.

Choose Life says suicide is the leading cause of death in those under 35 years of age.

About three out of four suicides are by men.

With a suicide rate of 14.7% per 100,000 population, Scotland has the UK's highest incidence of suicides. By comparison, suicide rates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are just over 8%.

The suicide rate for males is higher in Scotland than for most other European countries, except Finland and Poland.

Counselling service

Spokesman Dougie Paterson told the BBC his organisation was "very keen to support our Welsh counterparts and provide whatever help we can".

The strategy consists of a range of initiatives, Mr Paterson says.

It's really about being pro-active in ensuring suicide prevention... to halt the kind of situation we are seeing in Wales Dougie Paterson, Choose Life

"That's why we've devolved a lot of the work to local areas. They decide what the priorities are, they're able to determine what their local needs are and they can take action locally to prevent suicides."

In Wales, one recommendation is to provide a counselling service in every school.

The hope is that a professionally-trained point of contact could identify potential mental health problems in vulnerable youngsters in the early stages.

"It's about providing early intervention, providing support services, making sure people are skilled and confident to be able to intervene" says Mr Paterson.

"It's about improving wider mental health."

He adds: "It's really about being pro-active in ensuring suicide prevention... to halt the kind of situation we are seeing in Wales."

And he is confident it can achieve success.

"Choose Life is a 10-year national strategy and that time will enable us to make a big difference to the suicide rate in Scotland."