More than 130 people are affected by each individual death by suicide, according to a report given to Swindon Borough Council’s Health & Wellbeing Board.

This board includes councillors, members of the NHS, police and fire brigades, and the voluntary sector and patients' groups.

The report outlines a strategy to try and prevent suicide clusters – where there are more incidents than would be expected in a geographic area or a specific community.

Presenting the report, the council’s public health specialist Richard Steptoe said: “A 'suicide cluster' is a situation in which more suicides than expected occur in terms of time, place or both, and usually include three or more deaths, or two or more deaths where closely related.

“Clusters can occur due to 'contagion', whereby a suicide can increase the risk of subsequent related suicides due to factors such as inappropriate media promotion, geographic opportunity or social connections.

"An effective approach to suicide clusters works to identify and address these factors with partners and prevent any increased risk of further suicides.”

The strategy establishes a ‘suicide cluster response group’.

Should a cluster of incidents be suspected, the public health team will convene that group.

Information will be shared across all the partners in the group and monitoring of reports will try an identify those at risk.

A communications strategy will be agreed, especially if a cluster or potential cluster is suspected at a location such as a school.

Those bereaved by a death by suicide will be offered support in their grief and there will be an assessment using a model called ‘circles of vulnerability’ to identify those who might be most at risk of attempting suicide themselves.

The report says: “It will be important for the group to consider wider and longer-term needs of the local community in relation to prevention and any community issues the cluster flag.

"For example, gaps in support for those in debt, men in crisis, or people who are lonely.”

The committee agreed to adopt the prevention strategy.

Across Swindon, 65 people died by suicide between 2020 and 2022, which is lower than the South West regional average of 11.9 deaths but just a little higher than the England average of 10.3 deaths per 100,000 population.

The report says that with an average of 135 people affected by each death by suicide there will have been over 15,000 individuals affected in and around Swindon by suicide in 2020-22.

The Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 for 24/7 support.

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