Scotland has highest suicide rate in Britain, official data shows

But Scotland had its lowest suicide rate in 2017 since 1981 and, brings to an end a steady increase since 2014.

Around three in four of those who took their own lives in Scotland are men, with the numbers now at a three year high according to the latest figures by the Office of National Statistics.

Across the UK, the number of suicides fell slightly to 5821 from 5965 in 2016 while in Scotland it fell from 727 to 676.

Across the UK men aged between 45 and 49 were most at risk.

The figures emerged a month after thee Scottish government set a target of reducing the country's suicide rate by 20% by 2022.

The government is setting up a national suicide prevention leadership group, headed by former Police Scotland deputy chief Rose Fitzpatrick, to be backed by a £3m innovation fund.

READ MORE: Agenda: We must act early to prevent the tragedy of suicide among the young

Annie Wells, the Scottish Conservatives MSP for Glasgow said: "It's deeply worrying to see that Scotland has the highest suicide rate in Britain. We need to see more being done in the next year to understand why they are higher and why it is that male suicide rates are continuing to increase in Scotland."

James Jopling, executive director for Samaritans in Scotland said it is unclear why suicide rates are higher in Scotland.

“It is worrying to see that the suicide rate in Scotland is the highest in the Great Britain based on the figures released today," he said.

"Although we saw a decline overall in suicides in 2017 in Scotland, this masked the fact that male suicides are continuing to increase here.

"And male suicides are a greater proportion of the total number than elsewhere. We also saw increases in the last two years in the suicide rates for men aged 15-24 and 45-54 in Scotland.

“We don’t currently understand enough about the lives and deaths of people by suicide in Scotland to be able to say why such deaths are more common here.

"That’s why it is so important the recently announced Suicide Prevention Action Plan from the Scottish Government seeks to help those at greater risk and uses the £3m of additional investment to better reach out to people who are struggling.”

Across the UK, men aged 45 to 49 were the age group with the highest suicide rate, of 24.8 deaths per 100,000, the ONS figures show.

Among women, 50- to 54-year-olds had the highest suicide rate - 6.8 deaths per 100,000.

Among the actions in the latest suicide action plan involved refreshed mental health training for the public and private sectors, including for all NHS staff, by May 2019 and reviews of all deaths by suicide so lessons can be learned.

There were plans for a a new national suicide prevention leadership group, to be in place by this month, development of innovative use of digital technology to prevent suicide and new public awareness campaigns.

The government's last suicide prevention strategy expired in 2016, and there was criticism over delays in completing a new one.

A draft plan was set out in March 2018, but was also criticised by Mr Jopling who told Holyrood's health committee that the group was "very disappointed" with the proposals at that stage, calling for ministers to "show more ambition".

Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey said that over  the past decade Scotland had made "real progress" reducing suicide deaths by 20 per cent over the period 2002/2006 to 2013/2017.

She added: "But every life matters and no death by suicide should be regarded as either acceptable or inevitable. That is why we are taking further action and want to create an environment in Scotland where suicide is preventable, and where anyone contemplating suicide or who has lost a loved one gets the support they need.

“Our new Suicide Prevention Action Plan sets out how we and our partners will further reduce the suicide rate by 20 per cent by 2022 while we are setting up a National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group, chaired by former Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick, to support the plan with a new £3 million innovation fund.

“Our approach recognises the need to work together across sectors and organisations to identify and support people in distress, strengthen communities, and save lives.”