Suicide prevention strategy backed by £1.5m

The government has promised to put £1.5m into research exploring how to prevent suicides among those most at risk of taking their own lives.

The pledge comes as ministers unveiled a suicide prevention strategy that aims to cut the suicide rate and provide more support to bereaved families

Funding will be used to look at how the number of suicides can be reduced among people with a history of self-harm.

Researchers will also focus on cutting suicides among children and young people and exploring how and why suicidal people use the internet.

Launching the strategy to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day, the care services minister, Norman Lamb, said: "One death to suicide is one too many – we want to make suicide prevention everyone's business.

"Over the last 10 years there has been real progress in reducing the suicide rate, but it is still the case that someone takes their own life every two hours in England.

"We want to reduce suicides by better supporting those most at risk and providing information for those affected by a loved one's suicide."

Read more with the Guardian. 

11th September 2012