Dear Editor,
The start of this week marked World Suicide Prevention Day. The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics are extremely concerning, showing that 568 Londoners chose to end their own life in 2017. Nineteen of these were from the Bromley community.
Let’s be clear, one suicide is too many, and we all need to work together to prevent further tragedies from taking place. Nonetheless, the reasons behind suicide are always complex and the best form of prevention is to ensure there is access to professional help when needed.
Unfortunately, we are in a situation where many Londoners with mental ill health are left to suffer in protracted silence due to the increasing difficulty of being able to secure a GP appointment, and a referral for counselling services.
The Mayor is taking action to reduce London’s suicide rate through his recently published Health Inequalities Strategy, using initiatives such as Thrive LDN, his Healthy Workplace Charter and rolling out mental health first aid training in every secondary school.
However, the Government must urgently come forward with adequate funding for mental health services to ensure they are available to the most vulnerable Londoners in times of desperate need.
Yours,
Fiona Twycross AM
Londonwide Assembly Member