Suicide Audit- County Durham2005-2012 data

Catherine Richardson

Public Health

National context

Number of suicides year on year in County Durham

Suicide rate by locality in 2012

AreaPopulatio

n SuicidesRate/

100,000

Durham & CLS 149,371 15 10

Derwentside 88,013 16 18.1

Easington 95,418 13 13.6

Sedgefield 87,336 5 5.72

Durham dales 88,313 8 9.1

NHS County Durham Total 

508, 451 

57 11.2

National Figure 7.9

Average suicide rates for the last 8 yearsArea Population No of suicides Rate/100,000/yr

Durham and CLS

149,371 88 7.4

Derwentside 88,013 63 8.9

Easington 95,418 70 9.2

Sedgefield 87,336 31 4.4

Durham Dales 88,313 53 7.5

County Durham 508, 451 305 7.5

National Figure 7.9

Mapping of suicides by LSOA since 2005

3 most common places outside of homes where people take their own lives

• Wooded area

• Railway

• Home of friends and family

Residence of those taking their own lives in relation to railway lines; note proximity to railway lines

Mosaic- allocation of those taking own life to 7 ‘supergroups’

Mosaic Public Sector Supergroups Your area/file % Comp. % Pen. % Index                       

A Rural and small town inhabitants 17 8.33 42,946 10.65 0.04 78   

BAffluent households 3 1.47 23,094 5.73 0.01 26   

CMiddle income families 19 9.31 60,025 14.89 0.03 63   

DYoung people starting out 6 2.94 18,017 4.47 0.03 66   

ELower income residents 109 53.43 179,062 44.42 0.06 120   

FElderly occupants 17 8.33 38,263 9.49 0.04 88   

GSocial housing tenants 33 16.18 41,686 10.34 0.08 156   

                  Total 204 100 403,093 100 0.05 100   

Based on postcode; those committing suicide are more likely to be lower income residents and social housing tenants (index value >100)

Mosaic- allocation by ‘group’Mosaic Public Sector Groups Your area/file % Comp. % Pen. % Index                       

AResidents of isolated rural communities 7 3.43 11,242 2.79 0.06 123   

BResidents of small and mid-sized towns with strong local roots

10 4.90 31,704 7.87 0.03 62   

CWealthy people living in the most sought after neighbourhoods

0 0.00 4,233 1.05 0.00 0   

DSuccessful professionals living in suburban or semi-rural homes

3 1.47 18,861 4.68 0.02 31   

EMiddle income families living in moderate suburban semis

10 4.90 38,812 9.63 0.03 51   

FCouples with young children in comfortable modern housing

9 4.41 21,213 5.26 0.04 84   

GYoung, well-educated city dwellers 2 0.98 6,849 1.70 0.03 58   

HCouples and young singles in small modern starter homes

4 1.96 11,168 2.77 0.04 71   

ILower income workers in urban terraces in often diverse areas

20 9.80 27,274 6.77 0.07 145   

JOwner occupiers in older-style housing in ex-industrial areas

23 11.27 46,853 11.62 0.05 97   

KResidents with sufficient incomes in right-to-buy social housing

66 32.35 104,935 26.03 0.06 124   

LActive elderly people living in pleasant retirement locations

2 0.98 6,268 1.55 0.03 63   

MElderly people reliant on state support 15 7.35 31,995 7.94 0.05 93   

NYoung people renting flats in high density social housing 2 0.98 2,714 0.67 0.07 146   

OFamilies in low-rise social housing with high levels of benefit need

31 15.20 38,972 9.67 0.08 157   

                   Total 204 100 403,093 100 0.05 100   

Results; 2005-2012 data• 81% male; age distribution shown below

Age

Number of suicides

Trends over time…

Year

Number of suicides

Characteristics of those taking their own life• 62.8% were divorced, separated, single, or widowed• 32.2% lived alone• 30% were unemployed• The most common method was

hanging/strangulation

Characteristics of those who take their own life, continued• 58.9% were recorded as having a

mental health problem

• 39.2% had a history of self-harm

• 20% had significant alcohol intake recorded

• 13% were drug users

• 53% had a history of involvement with Criminal justice system (CJS)

Contact with services• 44% had contact with their GP in the 3 months before

death• 37.9% had contact with mental health services in the

12 months before their death, of these;• 82% unemployed• 37% lived alone• 68% single• 57% contact with CJS• 37% noted as having alcohol problem• 18% recorded as drug users

• 16.5% had been admitted by the mental health services during this time

Themes for those where multiple triggers thought to be relevant

Theme Number of cases affected

Mental health problems 33

Family/relationship breakdown

33

Ill health 12

Bereavement 29

Alcohol 15

Financial problems 29

Drug use 7

Problems at work 3

Police involvement 5

So, overall, most common triggers are;

Theme Number affected Percentage

Mental Health Diagnoses

74 25.9%

Family/relationship breakdown

73 25.6%

Bereavement 47 16.5%

Financial Problems 34 11.9%

Is the economic crisis going to spell more suicides in County Durham?

Recommendations in terms of service provision• Mental health services and primary care need

to ensure those at risk of suicide are identified

• Improved communication between services• Commissioning of services need to meet the

requirements of those with key risk factors• Evidence suggests informal support services

and reduction of access to means are highly effective interventions for reducing suicides

What is already available in County Durham ?

• Bereavement• U Care Share deliver family practical support incl a home

visit• Cruse deliver bereavement support• As part of counselling provision; bereavement counselling

• Financial support is currently delivered through CAB with focussed delivery for people suffering mental distress.

• Welfare Rights service targeted at those with poor mental health

• A county wide relationship support service is available through ‘Relate’. Couples counselling is offered through IAPT and some volunteer organisations also offer support.

• Community support through CREE (sheds project)

Suicide prevention• Develop plan to make County Durham a Suicide

Safer County

• Implement suicide community response programme including early alert process for individuals at risk of suicide or self-harm 

• Build capacity within services and communities through delivery of suicide prevention training

• Evaluate suicide bereavement services

Suicide prevention action plan• Refreshing the early alert system – County

Durham will be one of only a few areas nationally taking part in a pilot of a new early alert.

• Self-harm subgroup whose initial focus is on data and standardisation of audit tools.

• Media/communications subgroup and action plan to cover the sensitive reporting of suicide, use of the internet, media training, public information campaigns

Suicide prevention action plan• To enhance the role of the voluntary sector to

support those from high risk groups• To ensure accessible information and timely

support is available to those bereaved by suicide• Audit process: there is a need to review the current

audit tool and the amount and types of reports being requested to ensure the audit is fit for purpose and to reduce duplication of effort.

• County Durham to become a Suicide Safer County. A suicide safer county is one that has demonstrated a commitment to suicide prevention, promoting wellness and mental health, an ability to talk openly and freely about suicide and support to those bereaved by suicide