255 people died through suicide in past 10 years

255 people died through suicide in past 10 years

3 October 2018

SHOCK figures have revealed that 255 people have lost their lives to suicide across the Newry, Mourne and Down Council area over the past decade.

The revelation comes after it was confirmed last month that demand for suicide prevention support in the area has doubled in the past year, with more young people aged between 14 and 18 in need of help.

Worryingly, it is also being reported that some children as young as nine are having severe problems with anxiety and low self esteem.

Concerned at the high number of suicides across the district over the past decade, local politicians have this week called for a government action plan designed to tackle the issue to be published immediately and money earmarked to pave the way for its implementation.

Politicians also want ring-fenced finance provided to a number of local suicide prevention charities working hard to save lives but who currently have to rely on donations and their own fundraising activities.

In addition, there is mounting political concern at what has been described as a lack of desire to increase mental heath funding which is often overlooked when it comes to major financial investment and is regarded as a Cinderella service.

Newry, Mourne and Down councillors say they are shocked that mental funding in Northern Ireland — which has the highest suicide rate in the UK — has been cut by 25 per cent.

They say it is essential that much more is done to tackle the suicide issue and that an action plan to tackle the matter which is sitting on a shelf at Stormont is implemented.

They unanimously agreed at their monthly meeting on Monday night to call on Secretary of State Karen Bradley to recognise the seriousness of suicide by publishing the so-called Protect Life 2 strategy and providing the money to implement it.

The Newry, Mourne and Down Council area has one of the highest suicide rates in the Province, with politicians calling for increased funding to help health professionals and local groups working to spare families the heartache of losing a precious loved one in this way.

At Monday night’s meeting, politicians were shocked to discover that suicide rates in Northern Ireland have increased by 18 per cent since 2014, with the figure reported for the UK over the same period being just under four per cent. Last year, the number of people who lost their lives as a result of suicide was 305, with the Province in the the top quarter of the global league table of suicide rates.

There was across-the-board political support for a motion highlighting “wholly inadequate” funding for mental health services and concern that the action plan designed to reduce suicide rates has not been implemented.

Cllr David Taylor, who tabled the motion alongside UUP colleagues Jill Macauley and Robert Burgess, said the action plan was awaiting ministerial sign-off.

“My party wants to see a new ten-year mental health strategy, specifically building on the legacy of the Bamford Review, but the ongoing political impasse at Stormont and the absence of a Minister has resulted in Protect Life 2, the new strategy and action plan to reduce suicide rates, not being published,” he said.

“We believe the Secretary of State should intervene to secure immediate publication of the strategy on this very important issue,” he added.

Cllr Macauley described the suicide statistics for both the district and Northern Ireland as “undoubtedly startling and truly saddening”, highlighting the need to stand up for those individuals and many of the families affected.

Cllr Billy Walker said while implementing the new suicide strategy was important, it was essential funding was provided for organisations working across the community to steer people away from the abyss and not take their own lives.

“I have lost friends to suicide and it is truly heartbreaking for all concerned,” he continued. “It is clear more money needs to be channelled towards suicide prevention charities and this must happen. Additional funding for mental health services is also critical. If no help is forthcoming, my fear is that the suicide situation will only get worse.”

Downpatrick councillor Gareth Sharvin said a statistic which scared him was that one in five adults will have a mental health problem and that at any one time there are 45,000 children across the UK with a mental health issue.

“There are local councillors who have had direct experience of suicide and this motion brings back bad memories for some, but there are also good memories of people who were once part of our lives but are sadly no longer with us due to suicide,” he continued.

“Northern Ireland does have the highest suicide rate in the UK and historically mental health funding has been continually cut. There are a number of groups doing tremendous work including PIPS, ALPS, Life Change, Changes Lives and MYMY who get no assistance for the work they do. They are helping save lives and get no support, not even from this council and surely we could be doing a lot better,” he added.

Support for the motion was also voiced by councillors Terry Andrews, Andrew McMurray and Liz Kimmins.