Dougie Paterson
Dougie Paterson is Programme Manager for Choose Life, the national strategy and action plan to prevent suicide in Scotland. In April 2008, NHS Health Scotland took on the mantle for the delivery of the Choose Life strategy.
Although I have been with Choose Life since 2004, my working life over the last 25 years has always involved working with mental health issues in some form or another. What struck me about the National Programme’s work was it was beginning to legitimise that we can improve mental health by tackling stigma, supporting recovery, encouraging early intervention – all of which can have a positive impact on preventing suicide. My vision was to simply continue to tap into the groundswell that was starting to build to truly make mental health a shared issue for all of us – and one that has been ignored for far too long.
Suicide prevention is not new. What is relatively new is a 10-year national strategy with shared objectives that many people and organisations have signed up to via Choose Life. We now have thousands of people involved in suicide prevention in some way or another – around 14,000 have received training in suicide intervention skills – and, although it is still early days, we have seen an encouraging reduction of 13% in Scotland’s suicide rate since 2002. People are now aware of suicide and are talking about it more than ever before and there is a strong passion to continue to further suicide prevention over the next five years of the strategy. So, in summary, the original aims and objectives have been largely achieved, but there is much more still to do.
I am inspired by the many people I have met who convey both a passion and energy to truly make a difference. I have had the privilege of meeting lots of people from across Scotland who are working hard in many different ways to prevent suicide, reduce stigma and support recovery. It is their work and contribution that makes Choose Life a ‘live’ strategy and action plan as it has a direct impact on people’s lives. I know of many instances where people have used their skills from ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) to make an intervention and prevent a suicide attempt. I also know of many others who have supported people in crisis and helped them overcome a potentially life-threatening situation. It is these people and their work that inspires us to do so much more.
It is still frustrating that some people view suicide prevention and mental health and wellbeing as ‘someone else’s problem’. However, this attitude is slowly changing through talking more openly and dispelling the many myths about mental health. I can see the day when mental health and wellbeing will be viewed alongside physical health as an equal yet crucial part of a person’s life.
I like the image where someone has a broken leg but their mental wellbeing is not in question because of this. Mental illness and wellbeing is similar to this – a person’s mental ill health is not the determining feature of their life, so why do many of us still view it this way? Maybe it is still early days to expect a huge change to recognise this, but a mentally flourishing Scotland will be one way to encourage new ways of thinking about mental health and wellbeing. Mentally flourishing Scotland will help build knowledge of mental health and wellbeing – this in itself will encourage people to speak about their mental health in a climate of greater understanding, which can only have a positive benefit for preventing suicide.
We need to continue to build on progress made so far to raise awareness and understanding of mental health issues in Scotland. Preventing suicide, reducing stigma of mental illness and supporting recovery should be part of this. Secondly, we need to recognise that wellbeing is key to improvements in our economic, social, cultural and health prospects, and that good mental health and wellbeing are as important as our physical health. Thirdly, making a plan and sticking to it is important – having a 10-year strategy and action plan for suicide prevention is giving the time to enable the actions necessary to tackle what is a complex and deep-rooted problem. There are no ‘quick fix’ solutions and, for mental health improvement, it is perhaps a long term change in culture and attitudes that could make the most difference. We are getting there – but it will take time and the dedication of many to make a lasting change. It will be worth the wait.
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