Vol. 555 No. 2
305 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the procedures for dealing with attempted suicide in Irish hospitals; his plans for reducing the number of attempted suicides; and if he will make a statement on the report that up to 10,000 cases of attempted suicide are being treated in Irish hospitals and that one in every 40 - 250 - of these patients left accident and emergency departments without being seen. [18164/02]
The recently published first annual report of the National Parasuicide Registry provides information on the general characteristics of people who attempt suicide. The analysis of this information is most useful in the development of policies and the putting in place of additional measures aimed at preventing suicide. The National Parasuicide Registry has estimated, on the basis of limited data collected in 2001, that the number of cases of parasuicide presenting in hospital accident and emergency departments nationally is between 9,000 and 10,000 per annum. It has also estimated that in 2001 one in every 40 of these patients left hospital without being seen.
The national suicide review group is funding studies in the area of parasuicide and the general hospital setting which will provide information on the response to attempted suicide in Irish hospitals. A survey conducted by the group in late 2001 found that some hospitals have employed a liaison psychiatric nurse or crisis nurse to interact with patients who attend accident and emergency after engaging in an act of deliberate self-harm. It is hoped to develop similar services in other hospitals around the country. Another study funded by the suicide review group will examine accident and emergency nursing practice in relation to deliberate self-harm and will assess the implementation of the recommendations of the task force on suicide in this area.
To further reduce the number of suicides and parasuicides, it is essential that people undergoing life crises should get appropriate support. In this regard, over €6 million has been provided since the publication of the report of the task force on suicide towards suicide prevention and towards research aimed at improving understanding of this issue. Additional funding has also been made available to further develop child and adolescent psychiatry, adult psychiatry and old age psychiatry services to assist in the early identification of suicidal behaviour and to provide the necessary support and treatment to individuals at risk.
