Download original attachment
(Word document)
This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Freedom of Information ...suicide prevention'.

4 November 2009

Our ref: DE00000449137

Dear Ms Speers

Thank you for your email of 6 October, asking under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) information held by this Department for Strategic Health Authority (SHA) plans to reduce the death rate from suicide and injury of undetermined intent mortality by at least 20% by 2010.

SHAs are responsible for delivering their share of the Government plans to reduce suicide rate. In order to assign local responsibility for delivery of the Government's suicide rate reduction target, the Department has agreed trajectories with each SHA. The age-standardised targets for suicide rates for each SHA in each calendar year are shown in the attached table. SHAs are responsible for working with their local commissioners and providers of services to achieve these reductions.

Age standardised targets death rate per 100,000 population from Suicide and Injury of Undetermined Intent by SHA

SHA name

2009

2010

2011

North East

8.99

8.47

8.41

North West

8.48

8.28

8.08

Yorks & Humber

7.83

7.65

7.46

East Midlands

7.05

6.85

6.67

West Midlands

7.11

6.95

6.79

East of England

6.70

6.50

6.50

London

7.20

7.00

6.80

South East Coast

7.87

7.70

7.53

South Central

6.56

6.32

6.08

South West

7.82

7.64

7.46

The department does not hold further information and you should contact the relevant SHA if you are interested in receiving further information on their plans. All SHAs and PCTs are FOIA public authorities in their own right, and their contact details are available through the NHS website, www.nhs.uk. It would be possible for you to ask, under FOIA, for their individual plans, although it is possible that these might contain some material that proved to be exempt, particularly under S40(2) of the FOIA.

I am sorry to be unable to be more helpful. If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your original letter and should be addressed to:

Head of the Freedom of Information Team

Department of Health

Room 317

Richmond House

79 Whitehall

London

SW1A 2NS

Email: [email address]

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the Department. The ICO can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

Colin McDonald

FOI Casework Manager