Manx Public Health unveils suicide prevention action plan

A five-year suicide prevention strategy for the Isle of Man has been published by Public Health.

MHKs had been critical of the lack of progress on the issue in February.

The action plan emphasises the need to help people earlier.

It lists 20 aims, including reviewing personal, social, health and economic education in schools and developing a "real time" database which would spot "emerging trends, and links" with other deaths.

The island's official statistics from 2006 to 2021, showed there were 156 deaths recorded as suicide.

Almost three quarters of those people (74%) were male.

Public Health has an overall target of "zero suicides", a goal which it admits "will not happen overnight".

The department examined existing support within Manx Care's mental health service.

It said there was currently a range of "interventions from talking therapies, to crisis support, acute care and assistance to recovery."

However, the action plan was "evolving to give more emphasis to helping people earlier", it added.

A number of interventions, "such as giving children a better start in life and teaching resilience in schools" could take decades to take effect, the document said.

The interim director of Public Health, Professor Hugo Van Woerden said: "Suicide is personally the most painful thing I have ever dealt with as a doctor.

"It often leaves behind a deeper scar on family, friends and carers than any other kind of death."

He added that he hoped the "bold and ambitious" strategy would be "widely supported" and members of the third sector and local communities would help to "make sure that every person feels supported".

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