Action plan aims to reduce suicide deaths in Luton
There were 50 suicide deaths in Luton during the four years between 2019 and 2022, including the pandemic, a meeting heard.
None were under 18, but nine of them were 18 to 25-year-olds, Luton Borough Council’s scrutiny children’s services review group was told.
A suicide prevention action plan has been developed by four local authorities – Central Bedfordshire, Bedford borough, Luton borough and Milton Keynes – with key partners, according to a report to the committee.
“It sets out suicide prevention work across the life course, with a specific section relating to children and young people,” said the report. ‘Suicide prevention in England: a five-year cross-sector strategy’ was published in September 2023, “with an ambition to reduce suicides through to September 2028”, added the report.
“The plan was reviewed and refreshed in 2024 by a multi-agency group of key partners, including people with lived experience. It’s for a four year period to align with the time frame of the national strategy.
“The overall aim of the plan is to reduce the rates of suicides during the next four years in BLMK and ensure that those bereaved by suicide have access to appropriate support.
“This plan looks at key themes and actions across seven key objective areas, mirroring those in the national plan. New actions have been identified to address population risk factors, such as domestic abuse, and harmful gambling.
“Priority groups have been identified, including autistic individuals, older adults, pregnant women and new mothers.”
LBC’s public health manager Sarah Pacey called it “an incredibly important topic”, explaining: “We work across BLMK on this issue to implement the national strategy.
“We’re starting our own Luton specific steering group to ensure we’re driving these actions and interventions in the town.”
Liberal Democrat Stopsley councillor David Wynn suggested: “My impression is we’re not being active enough and I’m unsure how much of that’s down to the council or community groups.
“But it seems we’re not working together enough. The general public perception is that mental health support in all these formats isn’t very easily available.”
Ms Pacey said: “There’s always more we can do to join up our working between community groups and what the council and health services are doing.
“There’s a mental health system leaders group with leaders from all those different sectors, and you could argue it should have more community representation.
“Risk factors for suicide can be built up over time. Nine out of the 50 were in the 18 to 25 age range. So doing something early with people, and working with schools and on targeted campaigns around the risk of self-harm are very important.”
Liberal Democrat Vauxhall councillor Terry Keens asked if anything can be done about over gambling adverts on television, and said: “There’s no mention in here about social media and the internet.”
Ms Pacey replied: “You’re right, you’ve spotted an important gap in our plan there.
“I’ll take that back to the group and make sure we address that, but also around how social media can be used as a prevention tool.
“Gambling which leads to financial difficulties is a risk factor for suicide. We’re starting to look at gambling and what we can do to tackle the issue from a public health perspective.”
> Whatever you’re going through, you can call Samaritans any time, from any phone for free, on 116 123.