An MHK is calling for more clarity on what the government is doing to help prevent suicides.
Douglas East MHK Joney Faragher made the plea after tabling House of Keys questions on the Suicide Prevention Strategy and other mental health support measures in place.
She asked Chief Minister Chris Thomas, in his role as Cabinet Office Minister, to “commit to a review of the Suicide Prevention Strategy, with particular reference to the rollout of a fully resourced and connected Suspected Suicide Rapid Response Team”.
She said: “I really want to focus this conversation around whether vulnerable people are getting the support that they need.”
Compassionate and Timely Support
Thomas said: “Our responsibility is not only to provide compassionate and timely support to those affected, but to do everything we can to prevent further deaths.”
The review of the Suicide Prevention Strategy was underway.
“This needs to be closely aligned with the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy currently being developed by the Department of Health and Social Care, with a shared emphasis on intervening earlier, strengthening community-based support and better integrating services so that, wherever possible, people receive the help they need before reaching crisis.”
He added: “The Isle of Man has had an established and operational Suspected Suicide Rapid Response Team since 2021.
“This brings relevant agencies together to identify emerging risks following suspected suicides and co-ordinate timely preventative and postvention interventions.”
He said a “dedicated postvention service” has been commissioned through The Children’s Centre since autumn 2025.
“This postvention service complements the existing Suspected Suicide Rapid Response arrangements by providing proactive, timely outreach and ongoing support to individuals and families bereaved by suicide.”
Faragher referred to Public Health’s website saying it acknowledge there had been a large increase in suspected suicides in recent months and “it refers to establishing real-time suicide surveillance”.
Fresh Strategy
Thomas said the government’s annual report identified outstanding gaps in suicide prevention and “transparently” identifies progress and areas for development.
“This Suicide Prevention Strategy and report talks about how the service is fully operational, and dedicated postvention provision is now commissioned,” he said. “The strategy refresh, next quarter, will consider outstanding gaps.”
These would include ways to improve intelligence and earlier intervention, with “improvements prioritised according to evidence and population and need”.
The fresh strategy would “build on existing arrangements” and emphasising prevention, including “addressing the wider determinants of suicide risk, strengthening the protective factors and intervening earlier to prevent people from reaching crisis”, said Thomas.
“It needs to and will align closely with the Department of Health and Social Care’s developing Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, recognising effective suicide prevention requires a co-ordinated, whole government approach.”
He added: “The most important thing here is practical response and to think about how clearly the focus is refreshing the strategy in quarter one, 2027, working with the Department of Health and Social Care and its Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.”
Specifics
Faragher said she welcomed the news the strategy was being refreshed.
But she added: “I really want to get down to specifics. I am not asking for generalised responses that could be a response to any question.
“As we all know a service can be established and meetings can take place, information can be gathered and reports written.
“None of that necessarily tells us whether vulnerable people are getting the support that they need, they are receiving that timely and effective support.”
Measuring Effectiveness
She asked Thomas to outline what performance measures would be used to “assess the effectiveness of any Suspected Suicide Rapid Response Team”.
“Will we be measuring the time between a suspected suicide being reported and support being offered to those affected? And the number of people reached and the timeliness of interventions and whether people actually receive the support that they need?”
Thomas replied: “Inputs, outputs, outcomes, the focus at the moment is pretty comprehensive. It is cross governmental and the strategy will be refreshed next quarter. Obvously it is important for those directly involved in the management process to monitor inputs and delivery processes.”
If you are struggling with your mental health, the link here provides details of some of the services available to help.
Isle of Man Government – Mental Health Service
Listen to the full discussion on Faragher’s question here: