Suicides in Wales 'hit 10-year high', new report shows

Suicide numbers among younger men have fallen while those for older groups rose

The annual number of suicides in Wales has reached a 10-year high, new figures showed.

There were 355 suicides in 2013, with the total having risen since 2009 and reached its highest since 2003, according to a University of Manchester report.

The increase - broadly similar to that in England - was driven by a spike among middle-aged and older men.

Authors of the report say the rise is "significant".

On Wednesday, the university's Institute of Brain, Behaviour and Mental Health (BBMH) released its annual report on the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness.

Economic

Prof Nav Kapur, who helped write it, said of the rise: "It's both statistically significant and significant from a societal point of view.

"The thing we also have to remember is that, behind everyone of these statistics, there is a person."

Prof Kapur said tough economic times and increased alcohol consumption may be playing a part, adding: "If these two things are increasing in the background, that might be driving the increase in suicide rates."

There has been a rise in suicide numbers among older men since 2007

While the figures among men aged 25-34 fell since 2003, those for men aged 45-54 and 55-64 rose by 74 and 75% since 2007.

In June, the Samaritans estimated the number of suicides among men in Wales had reached its highest since 1981.

Prof Kapur said the data, using the date of death as opposed to the date deaths are registered - as presented by the Office for National Statistics - showed "the risk group is changing" from that of 20 years ago, when men in their 20s were the greatest concern.

By contrast, there were 68 female suicides in Wales in 2013, compared to 71 the year before, with the figure stable over the last decade.

BBMH said its own numbers showed 23% of suicides in Wales from 2003 to 2013 involved people in contact with mental health services.

Cwm Taf Health Board had the highest suicide rate from 2011-2013

The annual figure for such patient suicides has risen since a low number in 2008, but there was no overall change between 2003 and 2012.

Improvements in the delays of registering suicides may have made a minor contribution to the total increase recorded in 2013, the institute said.

Cwm Taf Health Board, in south east Wales, was the health board with highest average rate of recorded suicides in 2011-2013, with 14.1 per 100,000 population.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, in north east Wales, had the lowest rate over the same period: 10.7 per 100,000.

Complex

Last Thursday, the Welsh government launched Talk to Me 2, its plan to tackle suicide and self-harm.

It includes steps to improve early interventions, raise awareness and reduce access to the means of suicide.

Health Minister Mark Drakeford said: "It puts in place what we expect services to do to promote, co-ordinate and support plans and programmes to reduce suicide and prevent self-harm at national, regional and local levels."

He said suicide is "usually a response to a complex series of factors", adding: "Prevention of suicide and self-harm is a major challenge for us all but no single organisation or government department can tackle this issue in isolation."