Portsmouth suicide rate has been higher than regional average in last three years

Public Health England data shows there were 68 cases of suicide in Portsmouth between 2017 and 2019.

It means the area's suicide rate was around 13 per 100,000 population – down slightly from 13.3 between 2016 and 2018.

But the figure is higher than the average across the south east which saw 9.6 suicides were registered per 100,000.

In Hampshire, the rate was 8.7.

Across England and Wales, figures from the Office of National Statistics show the overall suicide rate rose to 11 deaths per 100,000 last year, with the rate among males reaching its highest level for two decades – 16.9 deaths per 100,000.

Men accounted for more than two-thirds of suicide deaths registered in Portsmouth over the three years and three-quarters of suicide deaths in Hampshire.

Brian Dow, deputy chief executive of charity Rethink Mental Illness and co-chairman of the National Suicide Prevention Alliance said: ‘Any death by suicide is a tragedy.

‘These statistics represent lives lost and families up and down the country living with unimaginable grief.

‘As a society we still have a way to go to make a meaningful impact on bringing down the rate of death by suicide.’

Mr Dow added that the reasons leading up to a person’s decision to take their life are complex, but issues such as financial problems and housing instability are ‘well established factors’.

The latest statistics come ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day, marked annually on September 10.

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Samaritans chief executive Ruth Sutherland said callers to its services are now generally more anxious and distressed than before the coronavirus pandemic.

She added: ‘It is not inevitable that suicide rates will go up as a result of coronavirus, but we know that the pandemic is impacting on lots of people’s lives and exacerbating some known risk factors.

‘Volunteers are telling us that many callers have been worried about losing their job and or business and their finances.

‘Suicide prevention must be a priority right now, so we can save lives.’

Where to get help

- In a life-threatening emergency call 999

- Call Samaritans on 116 123 free of charge at any time.

- advice is available at 111.nhs.uk

- PositiveMinds offers support to anyone in Portsmouth facing struggles with their mental or emotional health. The service is a partnership between Solent NHS Trust, NHS Portsmouth Clinical Commissioning Group, Portsmouth City Council, and Solent Mind. Wellbeing advisors can be reached on 023 9282 4795.

– Visit solentmind.org.uk or call 023 8017 9049.

Other links:

https://www.solentmind.org.uk/coronavirus-helpline/#call

https://www.solentmind.org.uk/update/services/

https://www.forgottenveteransuk.com/

https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/hub/time-to-change-southampton-portsmouth