Suicide prevention strategy and action plan drafts: consultation

Approach to Design of the Strategy and Action Plan

We are taking an outcomes approach in this new Strategy. Outcomes are the results or changes we want to see as a result of the Strategy and Action Plan. These include changes in knowledge, awareness, skills, practice, behaviour, social action, decision making etc. Outcomes may be intended and/or unintended, positive and negative. Outcomes fall along a continuum from immediate (short term) to intermediate (medium term) to final outcomes (long term).

The Strategy and Action Plan will approach suicide prevention in a way that takes into account all aspects of an individual's experiences which could contribute to suicidal behaviour.

This Strategy takes a whole of Government and society approach, in recognition that suicidal ideation is often as a result of a number of complex issues people are experiencing, which sit beyond the reach and responsibility of health and social care services. For example, we know that there is increased risk of suicide in middle aged men, those experiencing poverty or isolation, carers, or those who are LGBT+ or who are neurodiverse.

In practice, this means the Strategy and Action Plan sets out how suicide prevention will be embedded within existing and future policies across national and local government, and how that translates into effective action on the ground - across all sectors and communities.

The Strategy will run over the course of ten years, with an initial Action Plan accompanying it that will run for three years.