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UK mental health suicides soar

Wednesday, 22 July 2015 1:38 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 23 July 2015 3:10 AM ]

A new report has revealed that the number of male mental health patients aged between 45 and 54 who die by suicide has risen by more than 73% over the past nine years. (Photo by The Guardian)

A new report has revealed that the number of British male mental health patients aged between 45 and 54 who die by suicide has risen by more than 73% over the past nine years.

The study by the University of Manchester has warned that the deaths should be seen as "a suicide prevention priority".

According to the report, the total number of suicides among men suffering from mental problems has risen by nearly a third in the same period.

Study also suggests that the number of suicides by the mental health patients in the UK hit a 10-year high in 2013.

According to the research study, there were 1,876 patient suicides recorded in 2013, compared to 1,453 in 2006, showing a 29% rise.

“Our findings show that within mental health care, middle-aged men are particularly at risk,” said Professor Louis Appleby, the director of NCISH who was formerly the government’s mental health tsar and leads the national suicide prevention strategy.

Professor Appleby also pointed to the lack of mental health beds in England and said it has already its toll on the patients.

“Our findings follow reports of fewer mental health beds in England and suggest that this has affected the safety of home treatment for patients who might previously have been admitted,” said Appleby...Commissioners and providers should review the safety of their acute services. In particular, admissions of acutely ill people out of area should cease as they are likely to make care planning more difficult and increase suicide risk on discharge,” he was quoted as saying by the British media.

The report which looked at patient suicides from 2003 to 2013 has attributed the rise in suicides to a combination of alcohol, job loss and debt.

Meanwhile, Professor Rodney Shakespeare blamed economic insecurity of men for the steep rise in mental health suicides.

“People in that age bracket particularly the men, not only economically insecure, (but also) psychologically insecure as a result,” the London-based commentator told Press TV’s UK Desk on Wednesday.

“When people unemployed, in a very profound way on their own, They are treated with contempt by those who are fortunate enough to be in secure jobs… (They) are in a very vulnerable age group. They feel that nobody understands this situation,” he added.

Professor Shakespeare also blamed “increasing debt” for the soaring suicide rate among Britons.

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