People who have been bereaved by suicide have used their experiences to lead the revision of a support guide to help others affected by someone taking their own life. Help is at Hand provides people affected by suicide with both emotional and practical support. The most recent official figures reveal…

Tara Lal's brother took his own life when she was just 17. Here she blogs about how his death affected her, and how over time her grief made her a stronger person. For years, all I could see was what I had lost. Within four years we had gone from…

Public Health England (PHE) has published a new resource to assist local organisations prevent linked suicides in their areas, often referred to as ‘suicide clusters’. The Identifying and responding to suicide clusters resource supports local authorities in their reaction to unexpectedly high numbers of suicides occurring in a particular period…

A new study addresses for the first time the understanding and prevention of suicide in recently-released offenders. While the risk of suicide by offenders in prison has been identified as a priority for action, understanding and preventing suicides among offenders after release has received far less attention. A study led…

The prevention of suicide in middle-aged men should be made a priority, a study has urged, warning that deaths in mental health patients have become "substantially more common". Factors including alcohol misuse, isolation, unemployment and debt add to the risk of suicide in male patients and need to be addressed,…

Following the review of the Protect Life Strategy - the suicide prevention strategy for Northern Ireland, the Public Health Agency (PHA) has agreed to work with media and other stakeholders to help promote positive mental health and suicide prevention messages. Part of this work involves monitoring the reporting of suicide…

Proposals to legalise assisted suicide in Scotland have been rejected for the second time by Holyrood. After an emotional debate at the Scottish Parliament, MSPs voted by 36 to 82 against the general principals of the Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill. It had proposed that those with terminal or life-shortening illnesses…

Campaigners for and against proposed legislation to allow assisted suicide in Scotland will hold rallies outside Holyrood today ahead of a crucial vote on the issue. MSPs are due to debate the Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill, which would allow those with terminal or life-shortening illnesses to obtain help to end…

A severely disabled grandfather's legal plea over the right to die is a case of "particular concern and urgency" for him, a court has heard. Gordon Ross, 66, who suffers from several serious medical conditions, is seeking clarification from the Court of Session in Edinburgh over the legal position surrounding…

The most recent figures show suicide rates in Northern Ireland are declining, but Health Minister Jim Wells has warned against complacency. Mr Wells was speaking as he chaired the 11th meeting of the Ministerial Co-ordination Group on Suicide Prevention. Speaking at the meeting, the Minister said: "The provisional figures for…

A unique event that raises awareness of a leading suicide and self-harm prevention project is coming to Aberdeen for the first time next month. More than 100,000 people are expected to take part in locations as far apart as the US and Australia for counselling charity Pieta House. All participants…

Suicidal patients who are under observation may be put at risk by relying on inexperienced staff and agency nurses, according to a new report issued today. Commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership as part of the Clinical Outcome Review Programmes, researchers from The University of Manchester’s National Confidential Inquiry…