The NHS & Royal College of Psychiatrists suicide report
February 21, 2020
The Royal College of Psychiatrists’ suicide report is of grave concern to mental health services. The Report reveals that poor treatment coupled with poor aftercare for people who self-harm or attempt suicide puts their lives at risk.
Hospital self-harm admissions double
According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists suicide report, admissions for self-harming doubled in the last 10 years*. Meanwhile, a House of Commons Health Committee report says many A&E patients receiving treatment after self-harming face some harrowing issues.
- Some don’t receive a full psychosocial assessment from a professional to assess their level of suicide risk.
- One gentleman speaking with a BBC report says that he didn’t receive aftercare until 18 months after he hospital admission;
- Another says he went to his GP for a referral. But he only found out eight weeks later that counselling services weren’t even available in his area.
Regardless of age group, the number of deaths clearly has the attention of public health bodies in Northern Ireland, England and Wales. For instance, the number of suicides elicits this statement from Public Health England as suicide rates increased from 2017 to 2018:
Public Health England supports the cross-governmental strategy for suicide prevention by creating resources for local authorities and healthcare professionals to understand and prevent suicides in their areas or jurisdictions.
Stiff Upper Lip mentality doesn’t work with suicide rates
In addition, we’ve also written about the need for the NHS to improve its Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). This following a report that GPs were encouraging parents to seek private-sector mental health care services for their children.
These figures of the highest rates and reporting of suicide figures clearly show that death by suicide for young people (both for males and females) is approaching a despairing climax. The higher rates in 2018 from 2017 show in the following data:
The suicide rate of 11.2 deaths per 100,000 population recorded by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in 2018 is an increase on the 10.1 per 100,000 population recorded in 2017.
So it’s now clear that these people are clearly in a vulnerable state, especially as mental illness and well-being become increasingly focused. Moreover, the growing risk that they’ve died by suicide drives government and healthcare sector concerns.
Therefore, it’s not acceptable that those in need of support are essentially being left alone. In short, the British stiff upper lip & Keep Calm and Carry On through adversity is all well and good. But that’s no replacement for failing to support someone that clearly needs it.
Moreover, suicide rates in the UK rose for the first time since 2013, too. Therefore, it is vitally important that we get suicide prevention right. Literally, this is a scenario where it really is an unmistakable case of life or death.
The Love Island factor in the Royal College of Psychiatrists suicide report
Suicide is not simply about the one person taking their own life, either. In essence, it can also have far-reaching effects of the people in their lives.
For example, the ITV show Love Island has been in the headlines following the tragic suicide of ex-presenter Caroline Flack. Previously, it was found that, following the suicide of former contestant Sophie Gradon in 2018, her boyfriend, Aaron Armstrong, subsequently killed himself too.
Suicide is something that understandably creates a devastating impact on those close to the victim. We sincerely hope then that Miss Flack’s friends and family are receiving all the support they need currently.
If you are struggling with your mental health, we urge that you take hope that it can get better. You can call the Samaritans free on 116 123 in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Moreover, these helpful parties’ phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.