Dear Sir or Madam,
I have been advised by the Ministry of Justice to write to you and
request this information as they do not have it:

I believe that in 1999, Rt Hon Jack Straw
accepted all the recommendations made in the theamatic review of
Suicide Prevention referred to above.I believe this included the
statement that there would be no improvement in addressing this
problem unless the Secretary of State, personally, issued a ringing
declaration that management would be held accountable for
any failures that resulted in tragedy.
Could I have a copy of Jack Straw's declaration please?

The current HSG intention as expressed by DH's amendment of
HSG(94)27 guidance to SHA, to include "suicide clusters" as
beingpossible indicators of "significant system failure" is clear
butcontra to the subsequent withdrawal of suicide indicators.

Given that SHA are seeming interpretating HSG to only include
homocides now and are overly reliant on "the culmative body
ofinvestigation to determine whether an independent investigation
isrequired under HSG(94)27" I feel the word Independent is not then
applicable in this context.
Please advise: What is the interpretation guidance issued by the
DH/Justice Ministry with regard to HSG?
What guidance has the Rt Hon Jack Straw issued to the
Justice Ministry (formerly the Dept for Constitutional Affairs)
onthe recommendations he has supported arising from the Review of
Suicide Prevention "Suicide is Everyone's Concern?"

Yours faithfully,

D. Speers

Thank you for your enquiry.

We aim to respond within 20 working days.
If there is likely to be any delay we will contact you to let you know.

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Dear Sir or Madam,

Under the Freedom of Information Act I have requested specific
Information on suicide prevention. You said you would respond
within 20 days or let me know if there is a likely delay.

You have done neither and I believe you are now breaking the law.
Please respond within the next 24 hours or I shall be lodging a
complaint with the Information Commissioner.

Yours faithfully,

D. Speers

Our ref: DE00000419684
9 July 2009

Dear Ms Speers,

Thank you for your email of 8 June about a document issued by Jack Straw
and originating from the Ministry of Justice(MoJ). We are responding to
this part of your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). I
apologise for the delay in responding.
I can confirm that the Department of Health does not hold a copy of this
document, nor do we hold any interpretation guidance of the type you
describe, emanating jointly from this Department and MoJ.
I am sorry to be unable to be more helpful. If you are dissatisfied with
the handling of the FOI aspects 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: [1][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 Advisor
Department of Health

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

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1. mailto:[email address]

Dear Sir or Madam,

Many thanks for your response and the review I was referring to can
be found on http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-54684289...
You will see that all recommendations were accepted by Rt Hon Jack
Straw but none were implemented it seems. And I now understand that
the DH are withdrawing Suicide Indicators from 2011 nationally,
having already withdrawn PCT suicide indicators.....which must
affect access to HSG(94)27 "Independent Investigation of Adverse
Incidents in Mental Health Services".

Yours faithfully,

D. Speers

Our ref: DE00000446317

Dear Ms Speers
Thank you for your email of 23 September with observations on our response
to your recent FOI request on suicide prevention (our ref DE00000419684).
In particular, you raised the issue that that `the DH are withdrawing
Suicide Indicators from 2011 nationally, having already withdrawn PCT
suicide indicators.....which must affect access to HSG(94)27 "Independent
Investigation of Adverse Incidents in Mental Health Services". Although
this is not a FOI request, we are replying, rather than the Ministerial
correspondence team to whom this would otherwise fall, for the sake of
continuity.
Although the suicide rate no longer has a separate PSA target in the 2007
PSA target set, it is still monitored, along with the other major causes
of death such as CVD and cancer, as an integral part of the All Age All
Cause Mortality rate indicator18. It also remains an "Our Healthier
Nation"
([1]http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsands...
)target and is still monitored for achievement by 2010, which covers the
three year pooled rate for 2009/10/11. Progress with implementation of the
suicide prevention strategy and the target is published in the
Departmental Report
([2]http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsands...
) each year, and also in the Suicide Prevention Strategy Annual Report
([3]http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsands...
)
The 2008/2009 NHS Operating Framework
([4]http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsands...
) includes a measure for Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) to reduce the
death rate from injury and undetermined death by at least 20% by 2010 and
SHAs have plans in place with the Department of Health to achieve this
reduction. However, as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) do not have equivalent
plans, the Health Care Commission (now Quality Care Commission) agreed to
withdraw this indicator from the 2008/09 national priorities for PCTs.
PCTs are expected to support SHAs in delivery on their agreed priorities,
and their suicide rates are monitored as part of the Vital Signs set.
I hope that this goes some way towards addressing these particular
concerns.
Yours sincerely

Colin McDonald
FOI Casework Advisor
Central Briefing Hub

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsands...
2. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsands...
3. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsands...
4. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsands...

Dear Sir or Madam,

Thank you for responding to this and for the sake of continuity I
appreciate your time.

I accept that there is an expectation on SHA to reduce to reduce
the death rate from injury and undetermined
death by at least 20% by 2010 and have to ask if Trusts have weak
implementation of CPA and SUI management (as noted in the recent
investigation reports into Patient Safety at West London Mental
Health and the 'incident' at Broadmoor Hospital and are seemingly
not reporting SUI to PCT or SHA, then how will this PSA (sorry
PSA?) target be achieved?
What 'plans do SHAs have in place with the
Department of Health' to achieve this reduction?

Kind Regards

Yours faithfully,

D. Speers

Dear Sir or Madam,

Having re-read your response the terminology used by HC re suicide
indicators was "RELUCTANTLY agreed" to withdraw this indicator from
the 2008/09 national priorities for PCTs.THEREFORE I WOULD ARGUE
THAT THIS WAS NOT A DECISION THE HC WERE NOT HAPPY WITH?

Yours faithfully,

D. Speers

Thank you for your email.

Where a reply is appropriate we aim to send one within 20 working days.

If your enquiry is about a medical matter, please contact NHS Direct on
0845 4647 or visit [1]NHS Choices, or contact your GP surgery.

For the latest on swine flu, please visit [2]the National Pandemic Flu
Service (NPFS) or call 0800 1 513 100.

For general health information you may also find it helpful to refer to
[3]Directgov, the UK Government's Official information website, or the
Department of Health website's [4]Frequently Asked Questions.

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.nhs.uk/
2. http://www.direct.gov.uk/pandemicflu/
3. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/index.htm
4. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/FAQ/index.htm

Thank you for your email.

Where a reply is appropriate we aim to send one within 20 working days.

If your enquiry is about a medical matter, please contact NHS Direct on
0845 4647 or visit [1]NHS Choices, or contact your GP surgery.

For the latest on swine flu, please visit [2]the National Pandemic Flu
Service (NPFS) or call 0800 1 513 100.

For general health information you may also find it helpful to refer to
[3]Directgov, the UK Government's Official information website, or the
Department of Health website's [4]Frequently Asked Questions.

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.nhs.uk/
2. http://www.direct.gov.uk/pandemicflu/
3. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/index.htm
4. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/FAQ/index.htm

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of
Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Department of
Health's handling of my FOI request 'Freedom of Information
...suicide prevention'.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is
available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/fr...

Yours faithfully,

D. Speers

Dear Ms Speers

Thank you for your email of 10 October asking for an internal review of
the handling of your Freedom of Information request concerning suicide
prevention.

You asked:

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of
Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Department of
Health's handling of my FOI request 'Freedom of Information
...suicide prevention'.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is
available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/fr...

As we have already carried out an internal review of part of the handling
of your original and subsequent requests, a copy of which is included
below, we should be glad if you would advise us as to the aspects of the
handling of your correspondence which you consider remain uncovered, and of
which you would like an internal review to be carried out. It would be
particularly helpful if you could quote the reference numbers of the
individual exchanges of correspondence on which you would like the review
to concentrate.

As soon as we have this information, we will be able to commence the review
process.

Yours sincerely

Colin McDonald
FOI Casework Advisor
Customer Service Centre
Ext RH 4940

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Dear Sir or Madam,

Thank you for your recent response, I believe there must be some
published information on HSG and the intention of their purpose. To
leave intention open to interpretation then its open to
misinterpretation too, I believe.
For the sake of expediency I will now seek further redress from the
ICO

With thanks
Yours faithfully,

D. Speers

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.
Please see attached response.

Yours sincerely

Colin McDonald
FOI Casework Manager

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.