Groundbreaking Initiative to Combat Rising Suicide Rates in Northern Ireland

Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn has unveiled plans to introduce suicide prevention training as a compulsory measure for frontline staff across public bodies andgovernment departments.

Proposed Legislation: The proposed legislation would mandate all public sector employers to ensure staff in public-facing roles receive suicide prevention training. This would affect workers in sectors such as health, education, social care, andpolice services.

Urgent Need for Action: The West Belfast MLA emphasized, "These staff members work directly with the public every single day and it's vital that they have basic awareness and training. Given the tragic rates of people taking their own life across the north, this training could make a real difference and could save lives."

Addressing Disparities: Statistics show that individuals living in the most deprived areas are twice as likely to die by suicide as those in more affluent communities. These figures highlight the urgent need for targeted, effective strategies to reduce the amount of people who are sadly dying by suicide.

The consultation will run until August 17, 2025 and can be accessedhere.