Deaths by Suspected Suicide 2023 to 2024

Main Points

1. From 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024 there were 350 deaths by suspected suicide of Welsh residents who died in or outside of Wales, giving a rate of 12.4 per 100,000 people. The rate in 2022/23 was 12.7 per 100,000.
2. Males accounted for 76% of deaths by suspected suicide. The age-specific rate was highest in males aged 35-44 years (35.6 per 100,000).
3. By regional area of residence, North Wales had the highest rate of death by suspected suicide (14.1 per 100,000), but it was not statistically significantly different to the all-Wales rate.
4. The rates of deaths by suspected suicide in residents in the most deprived areas (15.8 per 100,000) were statistically significantly higher than the all-Wales rate, and the rate of deaths by suspected suicide in residents in the least deprived areas (8.6 per 100,000) was statistically significantly lower than the all-Wales rate.
5. The rate of deaths by suspected suicide in people who were reported to be unemployed was 126.7 per 100,000, which was at least 12 times higher than in any other employment status
   group.
6. 63% of people were reported to have had a mental health condition, 29% were known to mental health services, and 53% had a history of previous self-harm.
7. 65% of the deaths by suspected suicide were in people previously known to the police.
8. Collecting and sharing data via Real Time Suspected Suicide Surveillance allows action to prevent future deaths by suspected suicide to be taken in a timely way, by providing up to date intelligence to users on national and regional patterns.
9. This is the second year of data collection. Some amendments relating to analysis have been made since the first year (see Technical Information) and will develop as further data are collected. Due to small numbers and the lack of time series data, there are limitations to the RTSSS dataset. These are outlined throughout this report.
10. Deaths by suspected suicide are reported to Public Health Wales before a Coroner’s inquest. It is anticipated that the number of deaths by suspected suicide may be higher than the number of suicides as determined by a Coroner, as some deaths by suspected suicide may be found to have a different cause following a Coroner’s investigation and inquest.

Background

Real Time Suspected Suicide Surveillance (RTSSS) was established in Wales on 1 April 2022. It collects information on deaths by suspected suicide that occur in Wales, as well as deaths of Welsh residents that occur outside of Wales.

The aim of the RTSSS is to act as a central national repository for deaths by suspected suicide in Wales and of Welsh residents and to generate the intelligence to inform suicide prevention activity
across Wales.

Suspected suicides are reported to the RTSSS before a Coroner’s inquest. It is anticipated that these may be higher than the number of suicides as determined by a Coroner, as some may be found to have a different cause following a Coroner’s investigation and inquest.

Data collected on suspected suicides are different from suicide data as reported by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Suicides reported by the ONS include deaths which are registered following an inquest where a Coroner has determined:

• a suicide conclusion
• a narrative conclusion (where the death may be recorded as intentional self-harm or injury or
  poisoning of undetermined intent, based on the information provided by the Coroner)
• an open conclusion (where the death may be coded as injury or poisoning of undetermined
  intent based on the information provided by the Coroner).

(Suicide rates in the UK QMI. 2019, ONS)

Suicide statistics published by the ONS are the official statistics on suicide and should be used for strategic planning and comparison purposes. ONS suicide statistics on deaths registered in 2023 were published on 29 August 2024.