About Choose Life

On average, two people die from suicide in Scotland every day.

In 2002 Choose Life was launched, a ten-year national strategy and action plan from the Scottish Executive  (external link) to prevent suicide in Scotland. The target is to reduce the rate of suicide by 20% by 2013. Progress towards this target can be viewed in statistics. In 2010 the Scottish Government published Refreshing the National Strategy and Action Plan (external link) which reflects what the focus of the work needs to be over the next three years.

Overview of Choose Life activities 

The Choose Life framework ensures action is taken nationally and locally to build skills through training, improve knowledge and awareness of good suicide prevention practice, and to encourage improved co-ordination between services. Alongside a coordinated training programme is a national media campaign (external link) aimed at raising suicide prevention awareness and reducing stigma around suicide. Each year there are awareness-raising events in Scotland about suicide and suicide prevention. If you're interested in getting involved in breaking down the stigma of suicide, you can become a media volunteer. Suicide Prevention Week 2011 is September 5-11, 2011.

The Choose Life strategy has six objectives:

• identify and intervene to reduce suicidal behaviour in high risk groups
• develop and implement a co-ordinated approach to reduce suicidal behaviour
• ensure interventions to reduce suicidal behaviour are informed by evidence from research and evaluated appropriately
• provide support to those affected by suicidal behaviour
• provide education and training about suicidal behaviour and promote awareness about the help available
• reduce availability and lethality of methods used in suicidal behaviour.

Who is involved?

The responsibility for achieving these aims lies with both national and local organisations including the Scottish Government, NHS, local authorities and voluntary organisations. There is a national monitoring group that meets quarterly to monitor progress.

High-risk groups

Suicide prevention in Scotland is treated as a population-wide issue but the latest refresh of the National Strategy and Action Plan has identified the following groups as at particularly high risk:

• people experiencing mental illness (primarily depression and bi-polar disorder)
• people who misuse substances – especially alcohol
• people with co-existing mental illness and substance misuse
• people who have a history of self-harm or who have attempted suicide
• people in psychiatric care and those recently discharged from psychiatric hospital
• people recently bereaved
• people living in areas of socio-economic deprivation
• people with low socio-economic status
• people who are unemployed
• people who have experienced life stress – especially physical and/or sexual abuse
• people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.