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Mental Health Suicide

Request

Suicide

*******

Would you please provide me with the figures for inpatient suicide for your authority annually, during the period 2001-to date.

Additionally, would you please provide me with the number of such deaths that were investigated EXTERNALLY. If these figures do not exist, the name of the Trusts/LHBs which were externally investigated regarding/involving concerns about suicide, and where I may look at these investigation reports.

Our Response

Further to our recent correspondence relating to your request for information about suicide rates within NHS East Midlands you will of course be aware that since the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) does not have any personal contact with patients we, as such, would not have any suicide rates to disclose. However we do collate statistical information arising from Trusts and PCTs in the area we cover and you will see below a chart which gives you some of the information you have asked for. I regret that we feel unable to give you details of the annual statistics as you asked but we are of the view that since such small numbers are involved and since many of these events are relatively recent it is likely that it would be possible to identify individuals from the data

We are aware of course that this information is not protected by S.40 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) since the Data Protection Act 1998 only relates to living individuals, but we are of the view that this information is protected by S.38 FOIA in that disclosure of information which might lead to the identification of those concerned would likely cause harm and distress to the mental health of members of their families. This exemption is a public interest tested exemption and having considered the position very carefully we are of the view that the balance of the public interest falls in favour of protecting the detailed data rather than disclosure.

In relation to the second part of your question we are not aware that any of these cases were investigated externally to the particular organisation treating the patient at the time.

NHS East Midlands

	*Suicide by Mental Health In-patients Oct 2003 to June 2009**
	on Authorised leave		on Un-Authorised Leave		On an In Patient Ward
	Number of Incidents	Observation Level	Number of Incidents	Observation Level	Number of Incidents	Observation Level
MHA	Less than 5	Unknown	Less than 5	N/A	Less than 5	Unknown
Informal	Less than 5	Unknown	Less than 5	Unknown	Less than 5	Unknown
Status unknown	16	Unknown	5	Less than 5	6	Less than 5
Total No Patients	21	0	8	1	8	1