The official statistics for 2022-24 show an annual average of 2,967 registered suicides in the mental health population.

Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of mental health charity SANE, said: ‘It often goes unnoticed among the public and even health professionals that serious mental illness can deprive people of 15 to 20 years of life. This is why it is so important that those with severe mental illness such as schizophrenia and bipolar are treated for any physical illness they may have rather than their condition being attributed to their mental state or behaviour. Self-neglect is linked to severe mental conditions and yet it is sometimes overlooked.'

The proportion of suicides in mental health services was higher for women (71.0%) than men (54.9%).

There were 14.6 times more suicides for people referred to mental health services than those without a referral. This was significantly higher than rates for cancer (2.3), cardiovascular disease (3.8), respiratory disease (6.1) and liver disease (6.4)

Between 2015 to 2017 and 2022 to 2024, the number of suicides registered for people in mental health services increased by 43.4% (40.7% for women and 44.6% for men), however, much of this increase was due to the 45.6% growth in service users (48.0% for women and 37.0% for men).

Around 80% of those referred to mental health services who died by suicide had an open referral in the year before death and around 14% of this group had no contact or hospital spell.

Crisis or acute services were the most recorded service type for this group and this service type was more common than in those who died by other causes of death. The proportions of face-to-face contacts and hospital spells were also higher in those who died by suicide than other causes of death.