Safe havens as North East suicide rate remains high

Statistics show the North East recorded the highest suicide rate in England and Wales for the third year running

A "safe haven" for people struggling with their mental health is set to be the first of its kind in north-east England when it opens in the new year.

The service, in Ashington, Northumberland, has been funded through the NHS and will offer "instant access" to support for those in crisis.

It comes as official figures show the region has recorded the highest suicide rate in England and Wales for the third year running.

A charity worker described the service as "so important" for the area.

Further specialist "safe havens" are also due to open in Newcastle and North Tyneside in 2024, which will provide support for people in crisis.

The centre in Ashington, in North Seaton Road, will be run by the Newcastle-based mental health charity Everyturn, and will be open seven days a week.

“The reason that this service is so important is that it offers a true alternative to going to the emergency department or phoning the crisis team, particularly to provide people a non-clinical option,” said Pasha Tanriverdi, from the charity.

“Recovery isn’t all about nurses and doctors and medication,” he said.

Boxing instructor Les Welsh, who runs a support group for men in Ashington, said that people in the area would “love” the centre.

“The community of Ashington will love this because this is like finger on the pulse type stuff where people can come walk in and share their problems,” he added.

'Economic factors'

The statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that the rate of suicide in the North East in 2022 was 12.8 deaths per 100,000 people.

This compared with seven deaths per 100,000 people in London, which had the lowest suicide rate in the country.

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The average suicide rate in England and Wales in 2022 was 10.7 deaths per 100,000 people.

The statistics also revealed that men made up about 74% of suicide deaths across England and Wales in 2022, and suggest that overall suicide rates in the country are about the same as the previous year.

Professor Louis Appleby from the University of Manchester said that "economic factors" were one of the main drivers of population suicide rates.

People in insecure work or low-paid jobs may be more likely to take on debt, he said.

"The cost of living crisis isn't the original cause of higher rates in the North East but it is bound to contribute to people's fears," he said.