Agenda item

The Board received a report of the Interim Director of Public Health County Durham, Adult and Health Services, Durham County Council that gave an update regarding deaths by suicide and undetermined injury that occurred in the County Durham area from 2012 to 2014 (for copy see file of Minutes).

The Interim Director of Public Health advised that the Adults, Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee were undertaking a detailed review into suicide rates, mental health and wellbeing.  The recommendations of this review were being collated.

The Board were informed that there were many interventions in County Durham including the commissioning of If You Care Share, Men’s Cree’s, Safe Suicide Durham and Relate.

The data was pooled over three years and there were 198 deaths by suicide in this period (8 were non-County Durham residents).  75% of those were male and 67% were under the age of 50.  There were 9 cases under the age of 19.  There was a mixed picture of the reasons for suicide and only half of those people were known to the Police.

Referring to the financial debt as a risk factor, Councillor Allen suggested that it would also be useful to find out the trigger that put people into debt and the support in place.

Councillor Johnson was re-assured to see that support for children and young people was available.  

The Chairman commented that there was a data lag in relation to waiting for the Coroner’s verdict.  The Interim Director of Public Health explained that there was also an Early Alert System in place. 

Resolved:

(i)            That a focus be put on upstream interventions designed to support mental health and wellbeing in residents of County Durham;

(ii)          That prevention of deaths amongst the high risk groups identified in the audit should remain a priority;

(iii)         That support for those self-harming, possibly targeted towards the at risk group of young females identified in the audit, should be a priority. This may take the form of work to support mental resilience within school age children (to provide lifelong skills which will promote mental wellbeing) and/or the collating of available services in an easy to access portal.  This will be covered in the children’s mental health plan on a page and LSCBs work on self-harm;

(iv)         That the Suicide Prevention Alliance continues to review the most up to date data available;

(v)          That Additional work with criminal justice agencies be undertaken to support staff in considering suicide risk when an individual has been in contact with the police or wider criminal justice system;

(vi)         That work to support access to welfare and benefits should continue and be supplemented with access to debt management advice as financial problems were a theme identified in a significant proportion of cases;

(vii)        That opportunities to reduce social isolation (especially in those known to mental health services) within the population be considered;

(viii)       That work with partners to promote appropriate access to out of hours and weekend crisis support.