How to Save Lives in Wales: Our calls to the next Welsh Government

Samaritans Cymru exists to reduce the number of people who die by suicide. Each year, between 300 and 350 people die by suicide in Wales, which is around three times the number killed in road accidents. Every one of these deaths is a tragedy that devastates families, friends and communities.

The causes of suicide are complex. Suicide can be the result of the interaction between many different factors and should not be attributed to one single cause. The complexity of suicide is why suicide prevention requires the involvement of many different sectors, agencies and services. It requires a cross-governmental approach and one which recognises the interaction between suicide and health and social care, education, communities, economy, housing, families and culture. Suicide is everybody’s business.

Despite some progress already being made, we have seen no overall reduction in suicide rates over time in Wales and the implementation of suicide prevention measures needs to take place at greater scale and with greater pace. Suicide is not inevitable, it is preventable – we must do all we can, whoever we are, to reduce it.

We call on the next Welsh Government to take the following steps to help prevent suicide:

1) Ensure all schools have a structured and effective approach to emotional health and wellbeing

2) Mitigate poverty and its impact on individuals and communities

3) Promote cross-sectoral collaboration to mitigate suicides at high frequency locations

4) Prioritise self-harm

5) Ensure the continuation of a resourced national strategy and action plan for suicide and self-harm prevention for Wales