Since the launch of Self-Harm Network Scotland’s (SHNS) live chat service on World Mental Health Day 2023 (10th October 2023), the SHNS team has had 1,273 supportive conversations on the webchat, with an average chat lasting around 29 minutes.
The unique live webchat service can be accessed on the SHNS website and is for people aged 12 and over in Scotland in need of support for their self-harm. The service is available between 6pm and 10pm, seven days a week.
People can anonymously chat to one of the SHNS team about their self-harm and get advice and support outside of standard support hours, when those experiencing self-harm may be most in need of someone to speak to.
As well as offering support via the live chat, the SHNS website has free and accessible resources, tools and information for people who self-harm, their loved ones and for professionals who work with people who self-harm.
SHNS’s team of Peer Practitioners can also provide 12 to 15 free one-to-one support sessions for people (aged 12 and over) who self-harm in Scotland, delivered via video, phone calls and text.
The SHNS service is part of charity Penumbra Mental Health, which provides dedicated services for people with mild to enduring mental ill-health.
We work together with the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) in delivering their self-harm strategy and action plan, which is believed to be the first of its kind in the world.
SHNS is funded by the Scottish Government, and we also work with partners who share our goal of providing compassionate and freely accessible support services to people who self-harm.
In the past year, 90% of people who gave feedback after using the webchat said they found it helpful (71% ‘Very Helpful’, 19% ‘Somewhat Helpful’). Here is some feedback from people that were supported by the webchat:
“[The chat] was so lovely and very logical and helped me into a safe and calmer location.”
“Very patient and convinced me to try the local self-harm services.”
“No pressure was put on me regarding my coping techniques. Very good listening.”
Darren Boyd, SHNS Network Manager, said:
“Since the inception of Self-Harm Network Scotland, it has been important to us that people with lived experience guide our delivery of support. Feedback from people with lived experience revealed to us a need for accessible, national support for people who self-harm. We also know there is still a lot of stigma around self-harm and this can be a barrier to people accessing support.”
He continued: “The Live Chat is a place anyone can come to and can remain anonymous should they wish. They can get support from our team at times they are feeling distressed and may not have anyone else to reach out to. The first year of running this new element of support has taught us a lot, and we look forward to continuing to work with people with lived experience to grow and continue this service.”
Julia, who works on SHNS’ live chat, said:
“The webchat is great, and the users have told me that they prefer it to calling somewhere. They appreciate the anonymity of the webchat a lot. A lot of young people feel anxiety about making phone calls. It’s also good for me as I find it easier to think about what I want to say while I am typing.”
Julia added: “Having lived experience of self-harm makes it easier for me to relate to the people I am chatting to. When chatting to someone on the webchat, I have shared tips that have helped me on my recovery journey, and I feel that I can easily pick up when someone needs to be heard most of all instead of looking for advice.”
Maree Todd, Mental Wellbeing Minister, said:
“I am pleased to celebrate the first year of the webchat that we launched together with Penumbra this time last year.
“To have already supported 1,273 people through the webchat is a huge accomplishment and supports our vision for anyone affected by self-harm to receive compassionate, recovery-focused support, without fear of stigma or discrimination, as outlined in our Self-Harm Strategy and Action Plan.
“We greatly value the expertise peer practitioners and trained volunteers are bringing to this service, which is showing positive results in supporting people affected by self-harm right across Scotland. This is why we are continuing to invest £1.5 million to support Self-Harm Network Scotland.”
Paul Kelly, COSLA’s Spokesperson for Health and Social Care, said:
“COSLA welcomes the ongoing development of compassionate support for those experiencing self-harm. Making services such as the webchat available is essential in ensuring those who need it get the right support at the right time. Through the Self Harm Strategy and action plan we continue to work collectively to improve responses and support for self-harm across Scotland.”
Outside of the live chat operating hours, people can self-refer on to the service via the online contact form.
You can access the webchat between 6pm and 10pm over on the SHNS website:
Council Leaders have withdrawn support for the Scottish Government’s revised National Care Service Bill.
The Bill is currently being considered by the Scottish Parliament.
Though continuing to back key areas of reform, including enhanced support for unpaid carers, care home visitation rights and efforts to improve the experience of the social work and social care workforce, Council Leaders have expressed concern that the amended Bill currently does not reflect a model which Local Government can support.
The decision of Local Government Leaders today comes as several organisations have expressed doubt on the legislative approach adopted by Scottish Government, including those working across the care sector. Experts have also questioned the evidence for including, within the National Care Service, services which support children and young people.
Commenting, COSLA’s Health & Social Care Spokesperson, Councillor Paul Kelly said: “Local Government cannot support the amended National Care Service Bill brought forward by Scottish Government.
“Local Government has been committed to working in partnership with the Scottish Government to develop proposals to deliver a National Care Service, but unfortunately the revised legislation does not effectively represent that partnership.
“Local Government is committed to continuing our engagement with key areas of reform which can deliver improved outcomes for people, unpaid carers and our workforce. We cannot, however, offer our support for the legislation brought forward at this stage”
“It is important that the views of people accessing, working in and planning front-line support services are listened to, both with regards to the NCS legislation and also the improvements needed to overcome the sustained financial and workforce pressures being experienced across Scotland.”
The National Care Service Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on June 20th 2022, and allows for the transfer of a range of social care, social work and community health functions from local authorities to a new centralised body under the direction of Scottish Ministers.
On July 12 2023, Local Government and Scottish Government announced a shared accountability partnership for delivering the National Care Service in an alternative way, with enhanced national strategic direction through the creation of a national NCS Board, but with a continued role for local decision-making and Local Government.
Plan to tackle discrimination and social exclusion
Improved access to housing, education and health services and tackling discrimination are at the heart of a new Gypsy/Traveller Action Plan agreed between the Scottish Government and COSLA.
The voices of Gypsy/Travellers have helped shape the Plan, which acknowledges improvements in many of these areas, but recognises further progress needs to be made.
The Scottish Government and COSLA will work with stakeholders to take forward measures in the Plan.
Key actions in the plan include:
Supporting Local Authorities to provide more and better accommodation, by taking steps for funding to be accessed under the Affordable Housing Supply Programme from 2026-27, and ensuring planners understand the needs of Gypsy/Traveller communities
Measures to remove barriers to education and improve educational outcomes for Gypsy/Traveller children and young people
Improving Gypsy/Travellers’ access to and experience of healthcare
Working to remove barriers to accessing benefits and build understanding among employers of the inequalities faced by Gypsy/Travellers, with practical tools to support recruitment and retention.
Challenging prejudice and discrimination and helping communities to influence decision-making
Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart said: “Improving the lives of Scotland’s Gypsy/Traveller communities is a significant human rights commitment and is crucial in helping us deliver the fairer Scotland we want to see.
“The voices of Gypsy/Travellers across Scotland are at the centre of this second national joint action plan, and it is a testimony to the collaborative work of national and local government, third sector organisations, and most of all, the determination of Gypsy/Travellers to ensure better futures for their communities.
“We know current initiatives are having a positive impact on the lives of Gypsy/Traveller communities across Scotland, like the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund and the success of the Community Health Worker project in overcoming barriers to accessing health and other statutory services.
“However, there is still work to do. Through the actions in this plan we will build on the successes we have had to date and make further progress in many areas such as accommodation, health, education and combating discrimination.”
Record high NHS 24 workforce to meet increased demand
A record number of NHS 24 call handlers will support the public to access the most appropriate care this winter as services deal with increased demand.
Through the Scottish Government and COSLA’s joint Winter Preparedness Plan, continued investment for NHS 24 will increase service capacity to provide clinical supervision for at least 150,000 additional calls per year and help prevent unnecessary A&E attendances.
Key measures to support services in the face of increased demand, include; improving discharge planning for patients admitted to acute or community hospitals, maintaining established care at home packages and a Government led delayed discharge response team to directly support Boards in need of assistance. Planned care capacity will also be safeguarded with a continued focus on clearing long waits.
The annual winter vaccination programme, which includes respiratory condition RSV for the first time, will support a reduction in severe disease, hospitalisation and mortality – while protecting health and social care service capacity. The joint plan also sets out action to support the mental health and well-being of service staff through increased flexible working options and dedicated mental health resources.
This year’s plan has been published a month ahead of last year, and earlier than ever before, to allow more time for NHS Boards and care providers to prepare for winter surges in demand.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “As winter approaches, the NHS will see surges in demand across all health, social care and social work services. Our joint Winter Plan with COSLA is just one part of a wider programme of work to respond to heightened demand.
“A record number of NHS 24 call handlers will be available this winter to direct people to the most appropriate care, helping reduce unnecessary A&E attendances. We will continue our work to reduce delayed discharge in hospitals with an increased focus on effective discharge planning and protecting care at home packages. We will also ensure planned care capacity is protected as much as possible in the face of winter pressure so patients are seen as quickly as possible.
“We are prioritising frontline services with over £14.2 billion investment in our boards this year – an almost 3% real terms uplift – and also investing £2 billion in social care services.
“I thank all health, social care and social work staff for their continued efforts and dedication to deliver high quality care. It is fundamental we safeguard their wellbeing, and improved options on flexible working and continued access to mental health resources will ensure staff are supported over this challenging period.”
COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson, Councillor Paul Kelly said: “It is our shared responsibility to ensure that people and communities have timely access to quality care and support when they need it most.
“We know that Local Government and Health and Social Care Partnerships across Scotland are working hard to plan and deliver the essential health and social care services our communities rely on every day.
“The context within which this takes place is increasingly challenging, which is why COSLA have worked jointly with the Scottish Government to produce this plan. Local Government plays a key role in supporting people to experience better wellbeing and better outcomes, so it was only right that this plan reflects the whole system of integrated health and social care, from acute and primary care to social work, our care homes, community settings, and our partners across the sector.
“Winter is often a time of exceptional pressure on our services so I am pleased that this plan, produced with our partners across the sector, reflects the challenges and the opportunities we face.”
The winners of COSLA’s 2024 Excellence Awards were named on Thursday 19th September at a ceremony at the scenic Crieff Hydro Hotel in Perthshire.
The COSLA Excellence Awards are a key event in the local government calendar, and celebrate the incredible teams, projects, and services that Scottish Local Government delivers for our communities.
West Dunbartonshire Council, Aberdeen City Council, North Lanarkshire Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Inverclyde Council, Renfrewshire Council, Glasgow City Council with Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership and Clackmannanshire Council have all been named winners at the COSLA 2024 Excellence Awards.
The COSLA Excellence Awards is an annual celebration of success and innovation in Scottish Local Government. The winners were celebrated at a special awards ceremony hosted by “Still Game” star Sanjeev Kohli on Thursday 19th September, in the beautiful surrounds of the Crieff Hydro Hotel, Perthshire.
The Awards recognise and celebrate teams and projects that exemplify best practice and innovative, sustainable service delivery over five categories – Service Innovation and Improvement; Achieving Better Outcomes for the Most Vulnerable in Partnership; Tackling Inequalities and Improving Health and Wellbeing; Strengthening Communities and Local Democracy, and Just Transition to a Net Zero Economy.
Scotland’s 32 councils and their key partners were invited to submit their applications over the summer. Applications were then shortlisted by an expert adjudication panel comprising experts across local and national government as well as the public and private sectors.
With more than 200 applications received this year, the judging panel were given the unenviable task of narrowing these down to just 15 finalists and 9 winners across the main categorises as well as 4 special awards – COSLA Chairperson’s Award, SOLACE Best Team Award, The Scottish Government – Delivering Excellence Award, and the Excellent People, Excellent Outcomes Award.
Councillor Shona Morrison, President of COSLA and Chair of the 2024 Excellence Awards, said: “Firstly, I’d like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to our winners!
“It has been an honour to chair the 2024 COSLA Excellence Awards. This is my second year of the Awards as COSLA President, and being part of the process, from judging entries to presenting the awards to the deserving winners remains a highlight of my year.
“The Excellence Awards serve as an important reminder that councils are here for our communities every day, supporting us in all aspects of our lives – from resolving day-to-day issues; to supporting people experiencing some of the most unprecedented and difficult circumstances imaginable.
“They provide education for our children and young people; help our family members and neighbours in need of care, housing and other forms of support; and ensure our communities are safe for all who live there.
“This year’s finalists really demonstrated the range of what councils deliver, and I hope that everyone in the room felt proud to be part of the Local Government family – I know I certainly did.
“It has been wonderful once again to celebrate at the beautiful Crieff Hydro Hotel, and to have this opportunity share and celebrate the inspirational stories of our finalists with our colleagues across the public, private and third sectors.
“This year’s entries and winners highlighted how important it is that we work collaboratively across these sectors to deliver for our communities, so I am very glad we were able to bring colleagues together to celebrate these wonderful joint achievements.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank our event sponsors and partners for making this year’s Awards possible; and of course, to every single team who put in an application – not only for your hard work in putting together your application, but for your commitment to making Scotland’s communities better, safer places to be every single day.
“Finally, a huge thanks and congratulations to this year’s finalists and winners for being there with us on the night – it has been a pleasure to celebrate your hard work and dedication.”
The 2024 COSLA Excellence Awards winners are –
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Category 1: Service Innovation and Improvement (sponsored by Scottish Water)
West Dunbartonshire Council
Developing and Implementation of a Chatbot to improve the missed bins “experience” for citizens
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Category 2: Achieving Better Outcomes For The Most Vulnerable in Partnership (sponsored by our Conference headline sponsor, CCLA)
Aberdeen City Council
My Way to Employment (MwtE) – Supporting People in the Justice System
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Category 3: Tackling Inequalities and Improving Health and Wellbeing (sponsored by Public Health Scotland)
North Lanarkshire Council
Breastfeeding Friendly North Lanarkshire – Leading the Way in Driving Cultural Change
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Category 4: Strengthening Communities and Local Democracy
Dumfries and Galloway Council
Top CATs!
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Category 5: Just Transition to a Net Zero Economy (sponsored by Amey)
Inverclyde Council
Improving Inverclyde’s Environment Through Peatland Restoration
A Warm Scottish Welcome – North Lanarkshire’s Ukrainian Resettlement Project
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Thank you to all who applied, and huge congratulations to all this year’s winners!
Thank you to this years’ awards sponsors: CCLA, Scottish Water, Public Health Scotland, Amey Ltd., the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (Solace), and Scottish Government.
A special thank you to our headline sponsor for the COSLA Conference, Exhibition and Excellence Awards, CCLA.
A new campaign challenging people to Rethink Dementia has been launched by the Scottish Government in partnership with COSLA.
To help address the stigma around the illness, people are being encouraged to continue doing everyday activities with friends or relatives diagnosed with dementia.
Research shows that making this effort to include people in social activities can help them stay well for longer as well as alleviate symptoms such as depression, anxiety and apathy.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray said: “When a friend or relative is diagnosed with dementia it’s natural not to know what to do. It can be an upsetting and daunting time, but it’s important for all of us to play a supportive role in helping our friends and family.
“One of the key elements in the Rethink Dementia campaign is asking us to think differently about a dementia diagnosis. There are many practical steps we can take to help the people closest to us to lead fulfilling lives and stay well for longer.”
COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson Counsellor Paul Kelly said: “This new campaign is a clear call to us all to think differently about dementia and those with a diagnosis.
“It highlights very clearly the simple ways that we can support people with dementia to stay connected to their local communities.”
Dr Tom Russ, an NHS Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist and Researcher at The University of Edinburgh said: “Over the past 20 years I’ve engaged with hundreds of people who have been diagnosed with dementia, and often they will withdraw from social activities, which can have a negative impact on their overall wellbeing.
“For anyone with friends or relatives who have been diagnosed with dementia, it’s vital to stay in touch to help them maintain their usual social activities, or even try something new together.”
It’s time to #RethinkDementia. If a friend or relative has been diagnosed with dementia, staying in contact, including them in social activities, and doing many of the things you’ve always done, can help them stay well for longer.
Union: Ministers must not blame spending cuts on public service pay
Ministers must not blame public service pay deals for spending cuts, according to GMB Scotland.
The warning comes as the union announces members have voted to accept a council pay offer and halt looming industrial action.
The union, one of the biggest across Scotland’s local authorities, revealed a ballot of members in councils showed 78% of those voting supported the deal offering up to 5.6% for frontline workers.
The offer from Cosla, representing Scotland’s councils, came just days before the start of strikes in waste and cleansing earlier this month.
Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland senior organiser in public services, confirmed the industrial action, suspended during the vote, would not now go ahead.
He said it was right the offer, delivering a minimum rise of 3.6% for all grades, was weighted to ensure full-time frontline staff got a rise of £1,292 – equivalent to 5.6% for the lowest paid – but criticised needless delays.
Greenaway said: “Council leaders’ lack of urgency and stubborn refusal to ask the Scottish Government for support meant negotiations and uncertainty went on far longer than necessary.
“It should not take imminent strike action to deliver a fair offer but, while it came too late, the deal was above inflation for all staff and weighted to benefit frontline workers most.
“That was what the unions had asked for and, given that, it is no surprise our members accepted it.”
GMB Scotland has criticised the Scottish Government, however, after ministers froze non-essential spending within 24 hours of the offer being made before warning of more cuts this week.
Greenaway said: “Ministers implying a fair pay offer for our members means cuts to spending are only diverting attention from the real cause of the crisis in our public services.
“We have endured more than a decade of cuts not because of staff being paid fairly but because our governments, at Westminster and Holyrood, have failed to properly fund the public sector.
“Government is about choices but, when our public services are struggling to recruit and retain skilled staff, paying council staff fairly is not part of the problem but part of the solution.”
New guidance to empower schools to take action on mobile phone use and next steps in ongoing work to improve relationships and behaviour in schools has been published.
The ‘Behaviour and Relationships in Schools’ action plan, and targeted guidance for teachers to manage mobile phone use in schools, set out steps to be deployed at the national, local and school level over the next three years in response to concerns about relationships and behaviour in schools, including:
supporting the effective recording and monitoring of inappropriate behaviour
encouraging schools to reinforce a positive ethos and culture
providing guidance and support to ensure schools can embed relationships and behaviour policies which set clear expectations of relationships and behaviour
The new guidance on mobile phone use makes clear that while it is for individual schools to determine what action to take, head teachers are empowered to take the steps they see fit, including a full ban on mobile phone use in school if that is their judgement.
Aside from impacting behaviour, a growing body of evidence shows mobile phone use also impacts on learning. The Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 data showed that almost a third of 15-year-olds in Scotland and across all Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries reported being distracted using digital devices in most or every maths class – and around a quarter reported being distracted by others using digital devices.
During a visit to Stonelaw High School in Rutherglen, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “Since the last action plan on relationships and behaviour in Scotland’s schools was published in 2017, our children and young people have experienced periods of significant challenge, including a global pandemic and a cost-of-living crisis which is causing real difficulty for families across the country. There is no doubt this has had a major impact on their schooling and how they learn.
“Improving relationships, behaviour and attendance in schools is one of my top priorities as Education Secretary. We have been working jointly on this with key partners such as COSLA and SAGRABIS since I was appointed and this new action plan contains a series of steps to be taken which will ensure that both pupils and staff are safe and supported.
“It takes an evidence-based approach to responding to the relationships and behaviour challenges faced in our schools and has been informed by the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research (BISSR), which heard from nearly 4,000 teachers and support staff, as well as discussions with a wide range of stakeholders including teaching unions at the three behaviour summits.
“While it is clear that the vast majority of pupils in our schools continue to behave well, there are undoubtedly growing behavioural issues associated with mobile phones.
“This new guidance empowers head teachers to take the steps they see fit for their school to limit the use of mobile phones, including a full ban on the school estate if they feel that is required and I would encourage teachers to take all the steps they feel necessary to combat these issues.”
COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People Tony Buchanan said: “Ensuring children and young people feel supported, safe and ready to learn is of vital importance to Local Government, and we need to make sure schools are safe and welcoming places for all.
“We have worked closely with the Scottish Government and our partners across education system to develop the action plan and guidance published today.
“We will continue to work in partnership to enable the provision of the best possible support, in and out of school, so that children and young people to get the most out of their learning.”
Acting Stonelaw High School Headteacher Vicki Rice said: “We were delighted to welcome the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to our school. The Cabinet Secretary took part in discussion groups with our staff and pupils who were given a valuable opportunity to talk with her about these important issues as part of their work and study on personal and social education.
“We discussed our work earlier this year with our parents and pupils about excessive phone use and the impact that this can have on learning. This work helped inform our plans for this session to protect the learning environment by limiting phone use in certain areas of the school.
“We will continue to work with our pupils and their families to ensure that this remains supported.
“This fits with our wider efforts to create positive relationships and behaviour right across our school. We know that getting this right for our learners means that they feel safer, more included, respected and supported.
“This in turn helps create strong relationships between our learners and staff and helps improve everyone’s wellbeing.”
Commenting on the publication of the National Action Plan on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools and mobile phone guidance by the Scottish Government, Mike Corbett, National Official Scotland for NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said:“While NASUWT is frustrated with the length of time taken to produce this National Action Plan, we have nevertheless engaged in good faith with the Scottish Government, shared our members’ current experiences on managing pupil behaviour and advocated strongly around how they might be addressed.
“We are encouraged by the recognition that a range of approaches and consequences are required given that restorative approaches to poor behaviour do not work for all pupils and cannot be the only tool available to schools when responding to incidents of abuse and violence.
“We need to see better recording and monitoring of behaviour incidents in schools as an essential part of ensuring consistency and measuring progress and improvements over time.
“We very much welcome that the principle of serious consequences for serious misbehaviour, up to and including exclusion, where necessary, has been accepted.
“The Scottish Government must make it clear that serious misbehaviour will carry serious consequences if any plan is to secure a safe and orderly environment for teachers and students.
“Given the recent riots in other parts of the UK, the acknowledgement that more work is needed to support schools in addressing racism and racist incidents, along with other forms of discrimination such as misogyny, is welcome.
“We know that mobile phones can be used as a tool to bully and harass fellow pupils and teachers, as well as distracting pupils from their learning. We therefore welcome the guidance from the Scottish Government that school leaders can take steps to limit or ban the use of phones in their schools if they see fit. However, to be effective, addressing the use of mobile phones should form part of joined up whole-school strategies on managing pupil behaviour.
“While we are pleased to see that the Action Plan intends that schools will be offered support to adopt the recommendations within it, including suggested approaches and exemplars, it is disappointing that the Scottish Government has not as yet committed any additional funding, time or resources to schools to support this work.
“Teachers and school leaders are already dealing with excessive workloads and constrained budgets. Implementing the recommendations of this action plan is too important a task to be simply added to schools’ already lengthy to do lists. Ring-fenced time and funding is needed.”
Mental Wellbeing Minster Maree Todd has described a rise in the number of probable suicides last year as “distressing”, saying the increase is driving a determination to deliver change.
National Records of Scotland figures show there were 792 probable suicides in 2023 – an increase of 30 on the previous year.
The Scottish Government is taking action jointly with COSLA to reduce the number of deaths by suicide. This ensures government and local services work together to support anyone at risk of suicide or affected by it, while tackling underlying factors that can lead to suicide, such as inequalities, stigma and discrimination, which have been exacerbated by the pandemic and cost of living crisis.
Self-harm is also a risk factor for suicide and last year saw the launch of the world’s first action plan focussed solely on tackling the issue. This includes funding for a new service where anyone affected by self-harm can get compassionate support, without fear of stigma or discrimination.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said: “This report makes for distressing reading and my sincere condolences go out to all those who have been affected by the loss of a loved one by suicide.
“I am determined that together with COSLA and other partners we reduce the number of deaths by suicide and improve the nation’s mental health as a whole.
“The ambition and innovation in Scotland’s suicide prevention approach is widely recognised. However, we know there is always more to do.
“We are working hard with communities and services to help people talk more openly about suicide and offer compassionate support. We are prioritising reaching more people at higher risk of suicide, including those living in poverty, middle aged men, and LGBT communities.
“We are launching an online portal to ensure people feeling suicidal know where to go for help. The introduction of suicide reviews this year will also help us spot missed opportunities to support people and importantly use that learning to redesign services.
“Our wider actions around Mental Health are also helping to prevent suicide. They include funding more than 800 additional mental health workers in A&E departments, GP practices, police custody suites and prisons, and investing in our Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund which prioritises suicide prevention and social isolation projects.”
Chair of the Scottish Government’s Suicide Prevention Academic Advisory Group Professor Rory O’Connor said: “Similar to other countries, sadly an increase is not unexpected given the challenges of recent years, including the cost of living crisis and the economic downturn which have led to financial and social hardship for so many.
“Every single death is heartbreaking, leaving behind devastated families, friends and communities. We need to continue to do everything we can to ensure that those at risk of suicide receive the care and support that they need when they need it.”
COSLA President, Councillor Shona Morrison said: “As the voice of Local Government in Scotland, COSLA has taken a strong position on the importance of the mental health and wellbeing of our communities and the need to tackle inequalities that contribute to suicide risk.
“There is a considerable amount of work taking place across local areas in Scotland which supports delivery of the Suicide Prevention Strategy.
“We firmly believe that no death by suicide is acceptable, and we remain committed to working in partnership with Scottish Government to realise the ambitions of our joint strategy ‘Creating Hope Together’ to reduce deaths by suicide, whilst tackling the inequalities which contribute to suicide.”
Anyone affected by these issues can access support from the following services:
Suicide Prevention Scotland responds to 2023 death by suicide data
Suicide Prevention Scotland has responded to today’s release of data from National Records of Scotland (NRS) for 2022 which shows a small year on year increase in deaths by probable suicide.
Statistics released by NRS show that there were 792 suicides registered in 2023, a 3.9% increase on 2022 (which was up 1.2% on 2021’s data).
It’s the highest number of deaths by suicide since 2020 (805).
To understand how this increase fits into the broader trend, it is essential to consider not just year-to-year changes but also the five-year average, which provides a more stable and reliable measure of trends over time.
The number of deaths by suicide in 2023 at 792 is very slightly above the previous five-year average (787 for 2018-2022).
Compared to the previous female five-year average (208 for 2018-2022), 2023 shows a decrease of six deaths. Compared to the previous male five-year average (579 for 2018-2022), 2023 shows an increase of 11 probable suicides.
The average age of death by suicide has fallen from the previous year. In 2022 this was 48.2 years; in 2023 it was 46.6 years.
The overall increase in the past year can be attributed to an increase in male suicides by 34 (590). There was a reduction in female suicides by four (202). The rate for men remains three times that of women.
Looking back over the previous few years, there was a long downward trend in suicide rates from 2011-2017.
This was followed by an increase in 2018 and 2019, then by a decrease in 2020 and 2021, with the lowest numbers seen since 2017 (680) in 2021 (753).
The numbers released for 2022 increased very slightly (762).
The further increase in numbers for 2023 suggest that the downward trend may have stalled, however it is too early to say as several years’ data are needed to confirm an overall trend.
Over the last five years, Scotland’s suicide rates have shown fluctuations, with some years experiencing notable increases.
For example, in 2018, there were 784 deaths by suicide, a sharp rise from previous years, particularly among young people aged 15-24. The numbers slightly decreased in 2021 to 753 but rose again to 762 in 2022.
Probable suicides in the 15–24-year-old group have increased by ten to 79 in 2023, from 69 in 2022.
However, the category with the highest increase was the 35-44-year-olds (up 22 to 175), repeating a pattern seen for the previous year’s data, where this age-group also had one of the highest increases in suicide numbers for 2022 (up 22).
In contrast, the biggest reduction seen is in the 65-74-year-old group, which has fallen by 28 to 63 in 2023 from 91 in 2022.
There has also been a slight decrease over the last year in the 75-84-year-old group, with numbers staying the same in the 55-64-year-old age group.
The decrease in these older age groups was driven mostly by male suicides, which decreased by 22 to 99 in the 55-64-year-olds, and by 12 in the 65-74-year-olds.
In contrast, the increase seen for 2023 was driven mostly by male suicides in the 35-44-year-old group, which were up 23 to 144, and the highest number in this age category since 2011.
Although 792 people died by suicide in 2023, this number does not consider changes in the population size or how the number of people in different age groups change as time goes by.
Therefore, suicide rates corrected for these changes give more meaningful comparisons.
When we use these corrected suicide rates, the highest rates seen in 2023 was among 35-39-year-old males (44.3 per 100,000), an increase of 9.8 from 34.5 in 2022.
The next highest rate was for 40-44-year-old males (42.1 per 100,000), an increase of 5.4 from 36.7 in 2022.
In comparison, the highest rate for female suicide rate increased by 7.0 to 14.9 in the 50-54-year-old group.
In 2023, the suicide rate in the most deprived areas was 20.9 per 100,000, compared with least deprived areas of 8.6 per 100,000.
This means that deaths by suicides in 2023 occurred 2.4 times more in our most deprived communities, an improvement on inequality seen in previous years e.g., 2022 which was 2.6 times more and the previous five-year average 2018-2022, which was 3.1 times more.
In September 2022, the Scottish Government and COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) launched the country’s new long-term suicide prevention strategy and action plan, Creating Hope Together.
To deliver the new strategy, a new community of organisations and people, Suicide Prevention Scotland, has been established.
Last week it reported on progress made during its first full year in operation.
Creating Hope Together sets out four key outcomes. Partnership is at the heart of the approach, with a range of strategic partner(s) appointed to drive delivery. They are:
Creating a safer environment that protects against suicide across the whole of Government and society – Samaritans
Improving understanding of suicide and tackling stigma – SAMH
Providing compassionate support for anyone affected by suicide – Penumbra & Change Mental Health
Working in a connected way, that always draws on evidence and lived experience – Public Health Scotland
A new National Suicide Prevention Advisory Group (NSPAG) has also been established.
Led by Rose Fitzpatrick CBE QPM, its members represent many of the sectors leading work on the social determinants of suicide. This includes poverty, as well as partners who are working in key sectors affected by suicide — such as the criminal justice sector.
Their role is to provide advice to Suicide Prevention Scotland, Scottish Government and COSLA which helps us focus on the complexity, intersectionality and inequality of suicide.
Suicide Prevention Scotland’s National Delivery Lead Haylis Smith comments: “The fact that 792 people died by suicide is a stark reminder we still have so much more to do – and we are determined to keep working together do it.
“We don’t just think about the number of people who die by suicide on this day in August, they are in our thoughts every day – they help drive us to do this work – to try to help prevent future deaths.
“Every death by suicide is one too many and we need to continue to build our understanding of what we need to do and how we need to do it by listening to the experts, those who study and research suicide and people who have lived and living experience.
“We’ll use that understanding to help us develop and deliver more action that will save lives.
Ross Cunningham is part of Suicide Prevention Scotland’s Lived Experience Panel. Ross, who lives in Orkney, has suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts and is an advocate for social prescribing. He said:
“The grief experienced by so many people across Scotland who have had to bear the death of a loved one to suicide in 2023, or any year, is a heartbreak beyond words. The loss is something family and friends will tragically have to live with for the rest of their lives.
“Those we have lost aren’t just a statistic, they were people living in Scotland who had a name, had parents, had friends and family who loved them very much, had hobbies, had dreams and ambitions, and had a life of their own – one which cruelly came to an end when they believed that suicide was their only option.
“We must not let the immense loss of life to suicide that these figures represent, and those before it, be in vain. This should be a wake up call to governments, policy makers, employers and wider society that more must be done in all parts of Scotland – in every village, town, city and island community – to take preventative actions and to further support those suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts.
“Everyone can take little steps each day, recognising that you may need to talk to someone or seek support about your own mental health, or even if it’s just checking in with a friend on WhatsApp or phoning a loved one you know who might be going through a difficult time.
“Please don’t suffer in silence, don’t bottle things up. If you are going through something, know that support is out there – and the first step to getting that support is speaking to someone about how you’re feeling.”
NadineDougall, Professor of Mental Health & Data Science at Edinburgh Napier University and a member of the Suicide Prevention Scotland Academic Advisory Group comments: “Each death by suicide is an enormous tragedy, leaving devastating and lasting impacts on families, friends, and communities.
“Suicide is complex and rarely caused by a single factor, needing a whole-population approach to prevention.
“While reducing deaths by suicide is essential, it is also crucial to understand long-term trends and the influence of various factors to guide effective suicide prevention efforts.
“Notably, deaths by suicide among men aged 35-44 have increased, with the suicide rate reaching 44.3 per 100,000 people – the highest since 2011. This calls for further investigation to focus suicide prevention activities. Although there have been some gains in reducing inequality in suicide rates, much more needs to be done to sustain and improve these efforts.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or feeling suicidal, please don’t hesitate to ask for help by contacting your GP, NHS24 on 111, Samaritans on 116 123 or Breathing Space on 0800 83 58 87.
Next steps to address violence against women and girls, including measures to combat culturally specific forms of violence, have been unveiled.
The latest Equally Safe Delivery Plan – developed in partnership with COSLA – focuses on prevention of abuse across Scotland’s diverse communities. For the first time, this includes taking forward a specific approach to tackle honour-based abuse.
Recognising the higher risk of abuse that women and girls with learning disabilities face, it will also ensure that relevant educational settings are equipped to teach pupils about healthy relationships and improve access to support services.
Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart said: “Violence against women and girls is abhorrent and has no place in modern Scotland. Since 2021, frontline projects backed by our Delivering Equally Safe Fund have supported nearly 60,000 adults, children and young people, and we are determined to build on that progress.
“This plan sets out our sustained focus on prevention, improving support services and ensuring the justice response is robust.
“Gendered abuse can happen in any community and to ensure that it is tackled effectively and equitably for all women, we are strengthening our response to the diverse ways that violence and abuse can occur.
“That includes recognising that abusers could be extended family members rather than partners – like in some cases of honour-based violence – and ensuring tailored support is provided for vulnerable groups, including women with learning disabilities and migrants.”
COSLA ‘s Community Wellbeing Spokesperson Councillor Maureen Chalmers said: “This Delivery Plan is a road map underpinning the next phase of COSLA’s and the Scottish Government’s shared journey towards an Equally Safe Scotland for women and girls.
“We will work collaboratively over the next two years with key specialist and public sector partners, to achieve the delivery of these commitments through our collective energies. No one government, sector or service can prevent and tackle violence against women and girls alone.”
The plan was launched with a visit from Ms Stewart and Ms Chalmers to Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis Centre.
Director of the centre, Claudia Macdonald-Bruce said: “Every day, we see the impact that an experience of rape and sexual abuse has on women and girls. It is life-changing, life-altering and sometimes life-ending. No women or girl should have to wait for our help when they ask for it.
“I hope that today’s opportunity to see in action how our trauma-informed, survivor voice and data-led approaches to the provision and development of our specialist services for women and girls, is welcomed too as future decisions continue to be made.”
