SAMARITANS WELCOME RECOMMENDATIONS OF WELSH GOVERNMENT SUICIDE PREVENTION PLAN REVIEW

Following the release of the midpoint review of Talk to Me 2, the Suicide and self harm prevention strategy for Wales 2015-20, Samaritans Cymru have welcomed the recommendations to Welsh Government. The review, which was produced for Welsh Government by Public Health Wales and Swansea University, reports on the progress of the strategy along with recommendations on the way forward for suicide and self harm prevention in Wales.

The review identifies that there are still between 300 and 350 suicides in Wales each year, with a general upward trend in male suicide between 2005 and 2016. The review identifies that there has been promising progress in developing local suicide prevention plans; a requirement that all areas work to a plan which takes local suicide rates and factors into account and develops relevant partnerships and initiatives to address it. However, the review also identifies a number of recommendations which need to be taken forward in to continue making progress.

The recommendations focus on immediate and longer-term objectives, such as developing a Wales-wide postvention pathway which would provide support to people who have experienced a suicide in their network or family. Whilst Samaritans Cymru welcome all the recommendations set out in the review, they are particularly encouraged to see the longer-term objective of ensuring that the impact of socio-economic inequalities on suicide and self harm should be acknowledged and addressed across strategies and initiatives.

Samaritans Cymru have recently launched a reportwhich highlights the devastating link between poverty and suicide. The report, ‘Socioeconomic disadvantage and suicidal behaviour – Finding a way forward for Wales’, sets out a number of recommendations to tackle this link in Wales, including a call to Welsh Government to set out a Wales poverty strategy.

Samaritans research has found that suicide rates are two to three times higher in the most deprived neighbourhoods compared to the most affluent. The research also shows that admissions to hospital following self-harm are two times higher in the most deprived neighbourhoods compared to the most affluent and that multiple and large employer closures resulting in unemployment can increase stress in a local community, break down social connections and increase feelings of hopelessness and depression, all of which are recognised risk factors for suicidal behaviour.

Sarah Stone, Executive Director for Samaritans in Wales, said –

“We welcome this mid-point review of Talk to Me 2 and are pleased to see the progress made in developing local suicide prevention plans. We are particularly pleased to see a strong focus on the need to acknowledge the impact of socioeconomic disadvantage on suicide and self harm in Wales.

 Living in a deprived area and experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage can increase the risk of suicide. However, suicide is not inevitable and there are actions we can take. Implementing this recommendation across strategies and initiatives could certainly help to tackle the relationship between suicide and poverty in Wales.”

Professor Ann John, Chair of the National Advisory Group to Welsh Government on Suicide and Self Harm and Co-author of the review said –

“The review of implementation of the Wales suicide prevention strategy showed that Wales has made considerable progress over the last five years – but there is still much to do. Suicide is not inevitable, it’s preventable.  All areas in Wales now have or are developing local plans. Politicians, employers, health, educators, front line services and third sector organisations, such as Samaritans, all have a role in identifying and supporting those at risk.

 There are a range of recommendations in the review to make this happen from finding new ways of working, to improve access to help for men, to supporting those bereaved through suicide. No single organisation can reduce suicide and self-harm by themselves, it will require a dedicated long-term focus, investment and a commitment to continue to work together’

SAMARIAID YN CROESAWU ARGYMHELLION ADOLYGIAD LLYWODRAETH CYMRU O’R CYNLLUN ATAL HUNANLADDIAD

Ar ôl cyhoeddi’r adolygiad canol cyfnod o Siarad â Fi 2, strategaeth atal hunanladdiad a hunan-niwed Cymru 2015-20, mae Samariaid Cymru wedi croesawu argymhellion Llywodraeth Cymru. Mae’r adolygiad, a luniwyd i Lywodraeth Cymru gan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru a Phrifysgol Abertawe, yn adrodd ar gynnydd y strategaeth ynghyd ag argymhellion ar y ffordd ymlaen ar gyfer atal hunanladdiad a hunan-niwed yng Nghymru.

Mae’r adolygiad yn nodi bod rhwng 300 a 350 o hunanladdiadau pob blwyddyn yng Nghymru o hyd, a bod tuedd gyffredinol ar i fyny o ran hunanladdiadau gan wrywod rhwng 2005 a 2016. Mae’r adolygiad yn nodi y bu cynnydd addawol wrth ddatblygu cynlluniau lleol i atal hunanladdiad; gofyniad i bob maes weithio yn unol â chynllun sy’n cymryd cyfraddau a ffactorau hunanladdiad lleol i ystyriaeth ac yn datblygu partneriaethau a mentrau perthnasol i fynd i’r afael â hunanladdiad. Fodd bynnag, mae’r adolygiad hefyd yn rhoi nifer o argymhellion y mae angen bwrw ymlaen â hwy er mwyn parhau i wneud cynnydd.

Mae’r argymhellion yn canolbwyntio ar amcanion yn y tymor byr a’r tymor hirach, megis datblygu llwybr ôl-ymyriad Cymru gyfan a fyddai’n rhoi cymorth i bobl y mae hunanladdiad wedi bod yn eu rhwydwaith neu eu teulu. Er bod Samariaid Cymru yn croesawu’r holl argymhellion a geir yn yr adolygiad, mae’n arbennig o galonogol gweld yr amcan tymor hirach o sicrhau y dylid cydnabod a mynd i’r afael ag effaith anghydraddoldebau economaidd gymdeithasol ar hunanladdiad a hunan-niwed ar draws strategaethau a mentrau.

Yn ddiweddar mae Samariaid Cymru wedi lansio adroddiad sy’n tynnu sylw at y cyswllt arswydus rhwng tlodi a hunanladdiad. Mae’r adroddiad, ‘Anfantais economaidd gymdeithasol ac ymddygiad hunanladdol – dod o hyd i ffordd ymlaen i Gymru’, yn nodi nifer o argymhellion i fynd i’r afael â’r cyswllt hwn yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i lunio strategaeth ar dlodi i Gymru.

Mae ymchwil y Samariaid wedi canfod bod cyfraddau hunanladdiad dwywaith i deirgwaith yn uwch yn y cymdogaethau mwyaf difreintiedig o gymharu â’r rhai mwyaf cefnog. Mae’r ymchwil hefyd yn dangos bod derbyniadau i’r ysbyty ar ôl hunan-niwed dwywaith yn uwch yn y cymdogaethau mwyaf difreintiedig o gymharu â’r rhai mwyaf cefnog a bod y diweithdra a ddaw yn sgil cau nifer o gyflogwyr a chyflogwyr mawr yn gallu cynyddu’r straen yn y gymuned leol, chwalu cysylltiadau cymdeithasol a chynyddu teimladau o anobaith ac iselder. Mae’r rhain oll yn ffactorau risg cydnabyddedig ar gyfer ymddygiad hunanladdol.

Dywedodd Sarah Stone, Cyfarwyddwr Gweithredol y Samariaid yng Nghymru–

“Rydym yn croesawu’r adolygiad canol cyfnod hwn o Siarad â Fi 2 ac rydym yn falch i weld y cynnydd sy’n cael ei wneud wrth ddatblygu cynlluniau lleol i atal hunanladdiad. Rydym yn arbennig o falch i weld ffocws pendant ar yr angen i gydnabod effaith anfantais economaidd gymdeithasol ar hunanladdiada hunan-niwed yng Nghymru.

“Gall byw mewn ardal o amddifadedd a bod o dan anfantais economaidd gymdeithasol gynyddu risg hunanladdiad. Fodd bynnag, nid yw hunanladdiad yn anochel ac mae yna gamau y gallwn eu cymryd. Yn sicr byddai cyflawni’r argymhellion hyn ar draws strategaethau a mentrau yn gallu helpu i fynd i’r afael â’r berthynas rhwng hunanladdiad a thlodi yng Nghymru.”

Dywedodd yr Athro Ann John, Cadeirydd Grŵp Cynghori Cenedlaethol Llywodraeth Cymru ar Atal Hunanladdiad a Hunan-niwed a chyd-awdur yr adolygiad –

“Dangosodd yr adolygiad o’r gwaith o gyflawni strategaeth atal hunanladdiad Cymru fod Cymru wedi gwneud cynnydd sylweddol dros y pum mlynedd ddiwethaf – ond mae llawer i’w wneud o hyd. Nid yw hunanladdiad yn anochel, mae modd ei atal. Erbyn hyn mae gan bob ardal yng Nghymru gynllun lleol, neu mae wrthi’n datblygu un. Mae gan wleidyddion, cyflogwyr, maes iechyd, addysgwyr, gwasanaethau’r rheng flaen a sefydliadau yn y trydydd sector fel y Samariaid, i gyd rhan i’w chwarae yn y gwaith o ganfod a chynorthwyo’r rheiny sydd â risg.

“Mae amrywiaeth o argymhellion yn yr adolygiad i sicrhau y bydd hyn yn digwydd, o ddod o hyd i ffyrdd newydd o weithio, i wella’r gallu i gael cymorth i ddynion, i gynorthwyo pobl sydd wedi cael profedigaeth trwy hunanladdiad. Ni all yr un sefydliad atal hunanladdiad a hunan-niwed ar ei ben ei hun. Bydd angen ffocws penodol hirdymor, buddsoddiad ac ymrwymiad i barhau i gydweithio.”