Between 8 March and 30 April 2018 we asked for written feedback on a number of themes and draft actions being considered for inclusion in the Scottish Government’s next Suicide Prevention Action Plan. The themes and actions were developed through earlier conversations with a range of stakeholders, including individuals with lived experience.
The written engagement received 290 responses, with 196 from members of the public and 94 from organisations. Overall, there was general support among respondents for the main proposals:
We considered all responses to the engagement and commissioned an analysis report: https://www2.gov.scot/Resource/0054/00543412.pdf.
We took responses into account when developing the final Suicide Prevention Action Plan, “Every Life Matters”, which was published on 9 August 2018. This action plan is aimed at continuing the downward trend in suicides in Scotland. We also appointed Rose Fitzpatrick, formerly of Police Scotland, to chair the leadership group to take forward the Actions in the Plan, with an additional £3 million funding.
Every life matters and everyone has a role to play in suicide prevention. The impact of suicide on families, friends and communities is devastating and has long lasting consequences.
Our existing Suicide Prevention Strategy covered the period 2013-16 and set out a range of commitments under 5 broad themes: Responding to people in distress; Talking about suicide; Improving the NHS response to suicide; Developing the evidence base; and Supporting change and improvement.
The Scottish Government is seeking views on themes and draft actions for possible inclusion in a new Suicide Prevention Action Plan aimed at continuing the downward trend in suicides in Scotland. The themes and draft actions have been published in an engagement paper on 8 March 2018, and have arisen from discussions with a wide range of stakeholders, including people with lived experience, over the past few months.
Interested parties and individuals are now invited to respond formally to the themes and draft actions on suicide prevention over a 7 week period from 8 March 2018 to 30 April 2018 through:
The engagement process will provide a forum for open discussion on a paper outlining themes/issues and draft actions aimed at continuing the downward trend in suicides in Scotland. Undertaking this process will help give a better understanding of what could be done better or differently to reduce suicide and the impact it has on people, families and communities in Scotland.
Sources of Support
Any key points raised either at the public engagement events or via the online engagement consultation, will be written up into a summary report which will be presented back to the Scottish Government once all the engagement sessions have been conducted.
The final version of the Scottish Government’s next Suicide Prevention Action Plan is due to be published in summer 2018.
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