Choose Life - A National Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent Suicide in Scotland
Choose Life is a National Strategy and Action Plan aimed at addressing the rising rate of suicide in Scotland. Currently over 600 people in Scotland complete suicide every year (with a further 200 deaths of undetermined cause), one of the highest rates in Western Europe.
This strategy and actions to be taken form a key part of the work of the National Programme to Improve Mental Health and Well-Being. From this programme the Scottish Executive has allocated £12 million over the first three years (2003-2006) to directly complement and support national and local actions. This is to ensure that Choose Life is implemented effectively through a coordinated programme of activity involving national and local agencies, local community based initiatives, voluntary organisations and self-help groups.
We are currently in the final phase of a comprehensive 10-year plan with the ultimate goal of reducing the suicide rate in Scotland by 20% by 2013. The second phase has undergone evaluation, and findings have been published on the National Choose Life website.
Clear objectives have been set for implementation at both a national and local level these include:
raising awareness of the risk factors associated with suicidal behaviour;
ensuring earlier and more effective care and support;
improving and increasing the provision of services;
removing the stigma that people can feel about seeking help for emotional and mental health problems so that people get help when they need it most;
providing effective and sympathetic support to family members, friends and loved ones affected by suicidal behaviour and completed suicide;
supporting the media to ensure that the depiction and reporting of suicide and suicidal behaviour is done in a sensitive and appropriate way; and
improving the quality, collection, availability and dissemination of relevant information to ensure better design and implementation of services.
Taking action to prevent suicide will involve a combination of efforts across many aspects of Scottish life: eradicating poverty, addressing social exclusion, tackling inequalities, improving educational opportunities, improving physical health and mental health and wellbeing. Action must involve people from a range of organisations, professions and groups, with a sustained effort over a long period of time.
The over-riding theme of this strategy is collaboration; a collective, concerted effort is required from all groups in society - health, social care and other professionals, communities, voluntary and statutory agencies and organisations, parents, friends and neighbours, combined with an integrated and coordinated approach across all Scottish Executive departments.
Choose Life Strategy can be downloaded from www.scotland.gov.uk
Local contact:
Rose Stewart
Choose Life Development Officer
Unit G-3 East Wing
Leven Valley Enterprise Centre
Castlehill Road
Dumbarton
01389 744666
email
For more information:
Local Action Plan
Background to Local Action Plan
ASIST Workshops ( Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)
Useful contacts
Concerned about or bereaved by Suicide
