Work is ongoing to sort out West Dunbartonshire’s excessive suicide fee, in response to well being chiefs.
Officers have outlined a variety of initiatives that are underway in response to requires extra to be executed after the area recorded its highest variety of suicide deaths in a decade.
Figures revealed that 18 folks from West Dunbartonshire died of suspected suicide in 2021 – the very best in 10 years.
The realm additionally has the very best suicide fee in Scotland amongst girls over the past 4 years.
Councillor Karen Conaghan tabled a movement at a full West Dunbartonshire Council assembly in August asking what extra may very well be executed, and calling for a report back to be supplied outlining the steps presently being taken.
It learn: “Council is worried that in West Dunbartonshire deaths by suicide proceed on an upwards pattern.
“We're all too conscious of the hyperlink between social deprivation and psychological in poor health well being.
“The worldwide pandemic and now the next price of dwelling disaster have solely added to the degrees of despair and nervousness felt by many in our communities.”
A report ready by Sylvia Chatfield, head of psychological well being, studying disabilities and addictions, can be mentioned on the subsequent full council assembly tomorrow (Wednesday).
Suicide prevention programmes and actions are coordinated by the Neighborhood Planning West Dunbartonshire Suicide Prevention Group (CPWD SPG).
Actions are coordinated at each NHS board and HSCP/Neighborhood Planning Partnership degree.
The paper states that the group has an motion plan masking seven precedence areas, together with lowering the chance of suicide in high-risk teams, lowering entry to the technique of suicide and offering higher info and assist to these bereaved or affected.
To ship the plan, a variety of subgroups have been established which is able to concentrate on the completely different areas.
The report states that the group will proceed to assist and develop an area Bereavement and Loss Help Service which was established in December 2020 and is displaying excessive ranges of uptake.
Future plans for this service embody the institution of a peer led assist group.
Detailing a number of the work underway, the paper states: “Specialised bereavement and loss coaching has been delivered to native employees by Cruse Scotland (for the overall inhabitants) and by Richmond Hope (for individuals who work with kids), and over the interval June 2021 – June 2022 a complete of 71 employees have taken half in on-line bereavement and loss coaching periods.
“West Dunbartonshire has additionally continued to offer suicide prevention/self hurt coaching to frontline employees in step with Covid restrictions, with 59 employees presently educated over the identical June 2021 – June 2022 interval.”
The group has additionally been working with the Samaritans as a part of the native promotion of Suicide Prevention Day/Week.
It provides: “We proceed to make linkages with key accomplice networks and we at the moment are a member of the West Dunbartonshire Water Security Group and at nationwide degree now we have been an lively member of the Public Well being Scotland’s suicide prevention cluster steerage working group (with steerage as a consequence of be launched shortly).”
In September, the Scottish Authorities and COSLA printed a brand new 10-year suicide prevention technique, ‘Creating Hope Collectively: Scotland’s Suicide Prevention Technique 2022-32’.
It units out a imaginative and prescient to cut back the variety of suicides in Scotland whereas tackling underlying social points that may trigger folks to really feel suicidal, corresponding to poverty, debt and dependancy.
To make sure the native motion plan mirrors the suggestions, a CPWD Suicide Prevention Group growth session will happen on November 8.
Anybody affected by the problems raised on this article can name the Samaritans for confidential assist.
Skilled advisors can be found to be contacted without spending a dime 12 months a yr on 116 123.