A report which aims to help tackle the “national emergency” of male suicide through a “whole system” approach has been published by an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).
The report is the third inquiry from the APPG on Issues Affecting Men and Boys, and was chosen in response to what the group’s chairman Nick Fletcher MP said seems to be “a lack of urgency and depth in terms of political and public policy action”.
He said: “It is clear. Male suicide should be seen as a national emergency. One that has a far lower priority than it should, not just in terms of public policy and public services but also in the eyes of society.”
The report’s conclusions call for a new approach, which “should not view male suicide as primarily a mental health issue” but be “solution-based, focusing on and tackling underlying causes of male suicide including: relationship breakdown, employment, workplace culture, finance and bereavement”.
It added a new “gender-informed approach” was needed along with and a “sea change in thinking and attitudes in public services and their professionals” adding: “Professional curiosity has never been more important.”
The Office of National Statistics provides information annually about deaths by suicide, including by region and gender. Click here to view the most recent figures.