Suicide Prevention

Lee Pitcher Excerpts

Thursday 11th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)]

I beg to move,

That this House has considered suicide prevention.

Before I begin, I want to share for the benefit of anyone watching or anyone in this Chamber who may ever need it that help is available: 24/7 crisis mental health support can be accessed by calling NHS 111 and selecting option 2, or by calling the Samaritans, whose badge I proudly wear today, on 116 123. I cannot thank the Backbench Business Committee enough for granting this debate in the main Chamber. The Committee’s recognition of just how important it is for this issue to be heard here is in itself hugely symbolic.

Let me start with the worker who was on stand-by, who in the early hours of the morning was called to deal with the death of a man from suicide, who was found in the trees, alone on some open land. That worker, having dealt with the immediate response, then reflected and thought about the true impact of managing that situation. He failed to sleep for the rest of the week, and never once slept well again when on his stand-by duties.

To the family of John, he was a massive West Ham fan who loved Motörhead and the genius of Pink Floyd. His mum, who found him that day, experienced that thing no parents should ever have to endure: their baby, who they once cradled, leaving this world before them.

That worker on stand-by, that cousin of John, that is me. We got that call about John as we prepared to go to another family member’s funeral—that chilling call that no one ever wants to receive. John had decided he could no longer go on living with his demons, and felt that the only way to gain peace was to end his life. Right now, as we speak today, there are many other Johns out there making a similar choice. Like our John, they will be someone’s son, dad, brother, uncle, cousin, friend or colleague.

From that day on, we vowed as a family that the best thing we could do in John’s memory was to ensure that we helped show people a different path, so that that dreaded call could never happen to anyone else. Whether it is by raising funds through marathons, maximising our use of social media to highlight support or, for me, securing this debate, we are all doing everything we can for John. While none of this can bring John back to his gorgeous sister Jacqui, who is watching this in Australia, or to my auntie and uncle, there will be some comfort that his personal fight may prevent others’ pain in the future.

Today, using the privilege of being elected to this place, I will use my voice to try to make a difference. I have shared my story, because I want everyone to remember how common, unfortunately, these situations are; so many of us will tragically get that heartbreaking call about a family member, friend or colleague at some stage in our lives. I am also sharing this because, just by raising the subject in this place, we give suicide prevention a national platform, from which we can strive to share best practice and find new ways to take action to make a difference and save lives.

Compared with other leading causes of death, suicide remains poorly understood. The stigma that still clings to it stops people reaching out and isolates the families left behind. Breaking that stigma requires us to talk openly and honestly in places such as this Chamber. As I am sure you agree, Madam Deputy Speaker, there are not many subjects on which simply having a debate has the potential to save lives, but today we have that opportunity, and my hope is that hon. Members will use it as a chance to shift perceptions and push back stigma, and perhaps it will be heard by someone who needs it.

On 10 September every year we mark World Suicide Prevention Day. It is a chance to remember those we have lost, to stand with those who are struggling and to commit to doing all we can to reduce the number of lives lost. This year’s theme, set by the Samaritans, is interrupting suicidal thoughts, and that is what we must do in this Chamber—interrupt the silence, interrupt the stigma and push for change.

The statistics are stark. In 2023, 7,055 people across the UK lost their lives to suicide. It remains the leading cause of death for men under 50 and for men and women aged 20 to 34, and suicide among teenage girls and young women has nearly doubled in recent years. In Doncaster, where I live, suicide rates are above the national average; 121 lives were lost between 2021 and 2023. In the same period in North Lincolnshire, in which the Isle of Axholme lies, 41 lives were lost. Every life lost is a tragedy, but what those numbers do not show is the ripple effect. Every statistic represents a family and network of friends, colleagues and acquaintances who are all affected. Suicide may often happen alone, but it never happens in isolation.

However, suicide is not inevitable; it is preventable. Before I speak about the asks I have of the Minister and the Government, let me touch on the importance of mental health and building resilience in early life. Mental health problems often start to develop in our teenage years, and even if they do not reach crisis point until much later in life, we need to do something, which is why we cannot leave these conversations until it is too late. We need to start talking to children about mental health from an early age. This has to be done carefully and in an age-appropriate way, but just as we teach our children about eating well and staying active to look after their physical health, we should be helping them to build resilience and wellbeing for their mental health, whether that is through mindfulness, by learning how to manage stress or by knowing where to turn if they need help.

Just as importantly, we need to teach young people—again, at an appropriate time—that seeking help with suicidal thoughts is not a weakness and is not something they need to face alone. It is a medical issue and it needs medical intervention and support. There should be no more shame in reaching out for mental health support than there is in getting a prescription for insulin or picking up an inhaler.

If we can make those lessons part of growing up, we can give the next generation a far stronger chance of living a healthy, hopeful life. That is why it is so important that this Government are committed to putting a mental health professional in every school, helping to build that early resilience and understanding. That help is already in place for nearly 1 million pupils, and it will be there for every child during this Parliament. At this stage, I want to give a shout out for With Me in Mind for the amazing work it does in my area.

I will concentrate on three key areas where I would like the Government to take action. The first area is mandatory suicide prevention training for first responders and better mental health awareness across frontline services. Our police, fire and ambulance services are amazing, and their crews are often the first to respond when someone is in a suicidal crisis. In the year up to March 2025, fire and rescue services were called to more than 3,100 suicide attempts. East Midlands ambulance service alone responded to more than 20,000 incidents in 2024, and the North East ambulance service responded to more than 21,000 incidents—three times the number from just four years before.

The fact is that training on this matter is just not consistent, and we have an opportunity to do more. We know that training works. Evaluation shows that with suicide prevention knowledge, confidence and attitudes improve significantly after training. GPs who complete training are 20% more likely to identify people at risk. Equipping first responders with the skills to spot the signs, start a compassionate conversation and make an intervention will save lives.

The second area is better research into demographic gaps in suicide deaths. We know that the risks are not evenly shared; men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women, and men in deprived areas are five times more likely to do so. Too often, men are told to man up or tough it out, and they are less likely to seek help, confide or access services until it is too late. However, this is about not just how men are taught to act, but how people react to men seeking help. Research shows that nine in 10 men who died by suicide had been in touch with a statutory service in the year before their death, whether it was at A&E, through primary care or even through the criminal justice system, yet too many opportunities to help are missed. If we are serious about tackling the biggest killers, as the Government have promised, we need a clear, evidence-based programme of research into how suicide risk presents in men and how services can respond more effectively. Without that, the mental health strategy risks failing the very group it needs to help the most.

This is not just about a gender gap. People in the most deprived areas are twice as likely to die by suicide. Autistic people face three times the risk of their peers. Gay and bisexual adults face twice the risk. For trans people, the risk of a suicide attempt is four and a half times higher, and for trans youth the risk is nearly six times higher. There are huge differences in death by suicide across ethnic groups, across regions and between different kinds of employment and educational background. These differences need to be studied and understood, just as we would for any disease that affected different demographics in different areas. By studying the different demographics affected, we can learn about the causes, risk factors, preventive or protective factors and paths to recovery.

The third area is a rapid and ambitious roll-out of mental health hubs after next year’s pilots. These hubs could be transformative—local, community-based and accessible without referral or appointment. That is exactly the kind of frictionless support we need to offer. When someone is suicidal, every barrier is a potential barrier too far. No wrong doors, no delays—if someone asks for help, the system must help them. Alongside that, we must support the voluntary and community organisations that are already saving lives every single day, such as Samaritans, Mind, Andy’s Man Club, James’ Place, Men’s Sheds and local groups such as the Jackson Hope Foundation and the Shed on the Isle in my constituency. They provide the human connection that prevents suicide, but they are too often left to rely on their own fundraising. If we are serious about prevention, Government must partner with them, not leave them struggling for survival.

The Government have committed in their manifesto to tackling the biggest killers, including suicide, and to delivering the suicide prevention strategy. I urge Ministers to go faster and further; for some people listening today, time is already running short. Prevention is not just better than cure; for suicide, it is the only chance that some people will ever get. As I said, the theme for World Suicide Prevention Day is interrupting suicidal thoughts. It is the responsibility of each and every one of us to interrupt with training, with research, with services that open doors in every community. Suicide is not inevitable; it is preventable. With the right action, we can and we will save lives.

On Monday, I will be carrying the baton of hope, taking part in a relay across my constituency alongside many others to raise funds and awareness for suicide prevention. That baton is a symbol—a physical icon of mental health. It is a reminder that hope can be carried, shared and passed on to the next person. Our task in this House is to ensure that hope is met with action, so that fewer families face the grief of losing a loved one and more people find the support they need to live.

[Several hon. Members rose—]

--- Later in debate ---

[Lee Pitcher]

We have felt a very different kind of emotion in the Chamber this afternoon, compared with what we normally feel. The stories that have been shared have been stripped back, quite raw and very emotional. It really brings home to me the extent of the risk we are talking about here.

Let me thank all hon. Members for their contributions and for their honesty. I thank the Minister, the shadow Minister and the Liberal Democrat spokesperson. These kinds of debates are never easy, but what I have heard just shows the depth of commitment across the House to tackling suicide. What also gives me hope are the amazing organisations and volunteers who are out there every day trying to support our most vulnerable when they need it the most.

Suicide is a huge problem. We all know that there are no quick or easy solutions, and every one of us came here to challenge things like this and to make a difference. What we have heard today gives me renewed hope that change is possible. If we get it right, we can make a massive difference that will save lives. So, to use the phrase used earlier today by my hon. Friend the Member for Blaydon and Consett (Liz Twist), we do hear you, we do see you and we want to be here for you.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this House has considered suicide prevention.