Agenda item

(To receive a report from Lucy Gavens, Consultant in Public Health, Public Health Division, Lincolnshire County Council, which provides the Committee with information on recent suicides in Lincolnshire and the action being taken locally to reduce future suicide deaths)

Consideration was given to a report from the Director of Public Health, which provided the Committee with information on recent suicides in Lincolnshire and the action being taken locally to reduce future suicide deaths.

The Chairman invited Lucy Gavens, Consultant in Public Health, Public Health Division, to remotely, present the item to the Committee.

In guiding the Committee through the report, reference was made to the number of suicide deaths (5,224) registered in England and Wales in 2020; the number of suicide deaths (90) in Lincolnshire in 2020.  It was noted that between 2018 and 2020 the male suicide rate in Lincolnshire was 20.3 per 100,000, which was significantly higher that the England average (15.0 per 100,000).  Figure 2, on page 21 of the report provided details of directly standardised mortality rates due to suicide in Lincolnshire, by gender. Figure 3, on page 23 of the report provided details of suicide rates by district.  It was highlighted that Lincoln had the highest suicide rates in the county since 2010/12, except for 2015/17 when rates were highest in East Lindsey.

The Committee was advised of the key factors that increased the risk of death by suicide; details relating to preventing suicide in Lincolnshire.  Appendix A to the report provided the Committee with a copy of the Authority’s suicide audit, and Appendix B provided a copy of the Lincolnshire Suicide Prevention Strategy for the Committee to consider.  The Committee noted the Lincolnshire Suicide Prevention Strategy five ‘Priorities for Action’; the key actions in 2020/21; and the key priorities for 2022.

During consideration of this item, the Committee raised the following comments:

·       Why people were waiting so long for treatment.  The Committee noted that work was ongoing with Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) around how to make sure that children and young people and adults could be identified before the point of crisis.  It was noted further that a group of senior stakeholders across the system were looking at this, to make sure that the support pathways were joined up, as it was anticipated that the impact of Covid-19 on mental health and wellbeing had been significant.  It was also reported that more needed to be done to support individuals, their families and communities to be able to have conversations and to be able to access the support needed for anyone at risk of suicide;

·       Concern was expressed to the Covid-19 and economic pressures and the impact this was having on families and communities, and that vulnerable people needed to know who to contact for help and support.  There was recognition that it was hard to reach individuals who were not already in contact with mental health services.  It was recognised that more need to be done to obtain more information about the impact of Covid-19 on suicide deaths and to gain an understanding on what the key risks were.  With regard to financial struggles, it was highlighted that officers were working with the Financial Inclusion Partnership to better understand the key factors where extra support would be put in place where necessary.  It was also highlighted that there needed to be closer working with GPs both nationally and locally to understand the position.  It was highlighted further that closer working would also be taking place with Primary Care Networks (PCNs) to help identify the more vulnerable people presenting themselves to primary care rather than mental health services; using primary care as an early door to such cases;

·       Concern was expressed as to why Lincoln had the highest number of suicides cases.  It was noted that some local projects had been set up across Lincolnshire to support suicide prevention, and these had also been targeted at Lincoln to obtain the necessary data to see what might be happening.  The Committee noted that over the last few months East Lindsey was also a concern and as a result work was ongoing with colleagues from the districts and communities involved. One member also expressed concern regarding suicide rates in the younger population aged between 14 and 21.  The Committee noted that during the last year there had been six suicide deaths in this age group.  It was noted that there had been a review of the six cases to identify whether there were specific services they had been in contact with, and whether anything could have been done differently, and where possible mechanisms would be put in place to prevent future suicide deaths.  It was highlighted that it was important to understand the challenges of children and to be able to create an environment where young people felt able to talk about how they were feeling. This included the impact of the pandemic and other social changes were having on children and young people in some of the county’s most deprived areas, this is would then help to prevent any child or young person getting to the point where they felt hopeless;     

·       Some concern was also expressed regarding links between LPFT and voluntary groups involved in care.  Reassurance was given that there was a multi-agency stakeholder group which had representation from colleagues at LPFT.  There was recognition that there was always more that could be done regarding suicide prevention work, particularly working with bereaved families and friends, and learning more from suicide cases;

·       Inclusion of forces families in the Suicide Strategy.  One member expressed from personal experience the risks attributed to this group of society.  There was recognition that the strategy did not cover all risks groups.  The Committee was advised inclusion of this group would be taken away as an action from the meeting;

·       What was being done to reduce suicide rates in Lincolnshire.  The Committee was advised that the strategy would help, as there was a range of actions that would be delivered during the year, these were as detailed in the action plan.  Work was also being undertaken with neighboring areas with lower suicide rates to try and understand what they are doing different to Lincolnshire.  Also, as part of that work, following national guidance, officers were trying to understand local needs and using the local data to guide any future actions;

·       Key actions for 2020/21, reference was made to supporting the establishment of a range of local projects to prevent suicide through the Community Suicide Prevention Innovation Fund.  One member requested further information regarding the projects and their location.  Officers agreed to circulate the information to members of the Committee after the meeting;

·       Reference was made to page 45, which referred to the fact that the Coroner’s office was unable to provide enhanced data, and whether this situation was going to improve.  Reassurance was given that the issue had been resolved and that data was expected before 1 April 2022; and

·       How many of the key objectives had been achieved. The Committee was advised that the action plan was updated each year and that the most recent version could be shared with members of the Committee.  It was highlighted that everything had been achieved in the action plan for 2020/21, but some of the priorities within the strategy were still outstanding. 

The Chairman on behalf of the Committee extended his thanks to the Consultant in Public Health for the presentation.

RESOLVED

1.      That the report on suicide prevention in Lincolnshire be received and noted.

2.      That a more detailed action plan be received to highlight the actions being taken to reduce suicide deaths.

3.      That consideration be given to establishing a working group, which could explore some of the issues related to suicide prevention in Lincolnshire.