§ Mr. TruswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what resources he will make available for the provision of services to people bereaved by suicide; [113915]
(2) what plans he has to promote services that support individuals bereaved as a result of suicide. [113917]
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§ Jacqui SmithWe are working with a range of relevant organisations to develop a support pack for people in contact with families bereaved by suicide—such as general practitioners, the police and religious leaders—as part of our work to implement the National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England.
We have, in addition, published a national service framework for mental health and set targets through the planning and priorities framework that are designed to improve access to a range of effective treatment and care and improve the quality of services for all those who need them, whatever the reasons for their need, based on an individual assessment, free at the point of contact. We have also published an evidence-based guideline on treatment choice in psychological therapies and counselling for referrers, and a booklet for service users to help them know the questions to ask.
§ Mr. TruswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources will be made available for the development of(a) local and (b) national suicide prevention strategies. [113916]
§ Jacqui SmithA key objective of the mental health modernisation programme is to deliver on the targets outlined in the national service framework for mental health and the NHS Plan. The NHS Plan provides an extra investment in mental health of over £300 million by 2003–04, which includes resources to enable us to meet our commitment to reduce the mortality rate by suicide and undetermined injury by at least 20 per cent. by 2010. In addition, resources will be made available both centrally and through the National Institute for Mental Health in England's eight development centres for specific pieces of work to help implementation of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.