Suicide: Mental Health Services

The Government is committed to delivering the five-year Suicide Prevention Strategy for England. The strategy sets out over 100 actions across the Government and wider organisations, all aimed at saving lives, providing early intervention, prevention initiatives, and supporting anyone who might find themselves at crisis point.

We have made substantial progress at the strategy’s mid-point. This includes NHS England’s publication of the Staying Safe from Suicide guidance and e-learning for mental health staff, the introduction of the Near Real Time Suspected Suicide Surveillance System to identify emerging trends more quickly, and action to tackle harmful suicide and self-harm content as the Online Safety Act is implemented. We have also committed up to £3.6 million in targeted suicide prevention support for middle-aged men, a priority group identified in the strategy.

Suicide prevention requires action across the Government and society. We continue to work closely with departments, including the Department for Education, the Ministry of Justice, and the Department for Work and Pensions to deliver actions in schools, prisons, probation settings, and frontline public services. We recognise that there is more to do and will continue to drive delivery of the strategy. The Government is also developing a new cross-Government mental health strategy for England, with a core focus on early intervention, prevention, and supporting people before they reach crisis point.