Suicide rates down in East Staffordshire for first time since 2018

NUMBERS FALL FROM HIGHEST ACROSS COUNTY TO LOWEST BUT QUESTIONS ASKED OVER WHETHER DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS ARE RECORDED AS SUICIDES

- By JONATHAN SUTTON Local Democracy Reporter

THE number of suicides in East Staffordshire has fallen and is now one of the lowest in the county - after being one of the highest only a few years ago.

Members of East Staffordshire Borough Council have been given an update on suicide prevention following a review conducted by the authority last year.

Data showed that suicide rates in East Staffordshire have been above the national average since 2018, and peaked in 2021, when that rate was 16 per 100,000 people compared to the national average of 10 per 100,000.

Over the past 20 years there has been an average of 10 suicide related deaths, however due to a change in the standard of proof that a coroner needs to determine suicide, there was an increase since 2018.