A study published in The Lancet has claimed that measures introduced to lower the suicide rate in England and Wales in the past decade appear to have been successful.
The study said interventions such as round-the-clock community crisis teams have led to 200-300 fewer deaths from suicide each year.
Unfortunately the way the study was conducted means researchers cannot say precisely which reforms during the last ten years caused the reduction as other changes in society at the time could have had an impact.
However, by comparing figures immediately before and after reforms were adopted the researchers are confident that the changes did have an effect.
Professor Louis Appleby of Manchester University said: “There has been very little evidence on what makes services safer.
“The community care reforms of the last decade seem to have had a positive impact on patient suicide – providing more intensive support to the most vulnerable patients appears to have improved their survival.”
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