Our commitment to make suicide preventable remains unshakable
National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG) chair Rose Fitzpatrick CBE QPM reflects on the work of the last four years — as a new strategy launches.
This is the fourth annual report of the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG), established by the Scottish Government in September 2018 to support delivery of its Suicide Prevention Action Plan — Every Life Matters.
This report highlights milestones over the last four years in our work to make suicide in Scotland preventable and everyone’s business.
That work has only been possible because, at the outset, we established both our NSPLG Lived Experience Panel (LEP) and NSPLG Academic Advisory Group (AAG). Our NSPLG network is soon to be joined by our new NSPLG Youth Advisory Group (YAG).
Bringing together on an equal footing the diverse expertise of those experiencing the impacts of suicide, suicide prevention practitioners and academic experts has been a first for Scotland.
Its effectiveness has been recognised internationally by the World Health Organisation (WHO), it has underpinned the development of Scotland’s new Suicide Prevention Strategy — Creating Hope Together and it will strengthen the delivery of that strategy over the next ten years.
We have never lost sight of the fact that every loss of life to suicide is a tragedy for the families, friends and communities left behind.
While the suicide rate in Scotland is now below the five year average and the number of deaths has reduced in each of the last two years, every one of the 753 people who lost their lives to suicide in Scotland in 2021 is grieved for, and their loss compels us to do more.
Our NSPLG, LEP, YAG and AAG roles will now evolve to serve the vision of the new strategy: to reduce the number of suicide deaths in Scotland, whilst tackling the inequalities which contribute to suicide.
The strategy has been launched at a time when post-pandemic pressures and the cost of living crisis give rise to grave concerns. We welcome the fact that, alongside mental health policy, it broadens suicide prevention into the social determinants of suicide, such as poverty and inequalities.
Over the years to come the terms of reference and membership of our NSPLG network may change, but our absolute commitment to making suicide in Scotland preventable will remain unshakeable and we will do our best to make suicide prevention everyone’s business.
