The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) has launched a new monitoring system to provide up-to-date data for health and support services about the number of suicide deaths across the State.
Minister for Mental Health, Bronnie Taylor said the system would deliver timely access to information on location, age and gender.
“This means that from right now, we will be able to make critical decisions about services and local health responses in communities where we can effectively see risks emerging in real time instead of reacting to year-old data,” Mrs Taylor said.
“The first public report showed the number of suicide deaths in 2020 is tracking almost identically to the equivalent period in 2019,” she said.
“From 1 January to 30 September 2020, there were 673 suspected or confirmed suicide deaths reported in NSW, that is one more than the same time period in 2019.”
Mrs Taylor said there had not been an overall spike in numbers in the past year, despite the many challenges 2020 presented.
Attorney General Mark Speakman said reforming the collection and management of suicide data was the result of significant collaboration between NSW Health, DCJ, State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan and NSW Police.
“The Suicide Monitoring System will provide meaningful insights for frontline services, while ensuring that best practice protocols are in place to maintain the security and accuracy of this very sensitive information,” Mr Speakman said.
He said the next stage of the program would be to develop an enhanced data set to include information about the social, economic and other pressures a person may have experienced, as well as any previous contact with health services.
The first three-page public report from the Suicide Monitoring System can be accessed on NSW Health’s website at this PS News link.
If this story raises concern for you, help and counselling is available from Lifeline Australia 13 11 14, and other services.
