Worldwide, in 2018, an estimated 800,000 deaths by suicide worldwide which is one person every 40 seconds (WHO, Preventing Suicide Summary, 2019). Many, many more attempt suicide.

In 2018, there were6,507 suicides registered in the UK ( on average, 18 per day ), an age-standardised rate of 11.2 deaths per 100,000 population; the latest rate is significantly higher than that in 2017 and represents the first increase since 2013 (Office for National Statistics, 2019)

Suicide accounted for 1.4% of all deaths worldwide , making it the 17th leading cause of death in 2015.

Suicide is the leading cause of death in the UK in those aged 15-24. (HoC Suicide Prevention, 2017)

It is a global phenomenon. Although anyone can experience suicidal thoughts, and the causes and reasons for suicide are complex and multi-faceted. However, interestingly 78% of suicides occurred in low- and middle-income countries in 2015 (WHO, May 2017). Those in the lowest socioeconomic groups can be up to ten times more likely to die from suicide than those in the most affluent and least deprived areas. (HoC Suicide Prevention, 2017).

2 - National Context

As the reasons behind suicide are so complex, so must the responses be. This involves the need for the use of evidence based approaches and the necessity to draw on different fields of expertise through multi-agency work and collaboration. The Five Year Forward Plan for Mental Health (NHS England, February 2016) state that suicide rates are rising. It reports that suicide is the leading cause of death for men aged 15-49. This five year plan sets a target to reduce suicides by 10% by 2020/21 .

On 10 th October, 2018, World Mental Health Day, the Prime Minister appointed Britains first ever Suicide Prevention Minister, Jackie Doyle-Price. £1.8 million has been put aside for suicide prevention. This highlights the huge significance of this issue across the UK.