Suicide prevention
Suicide and suicidal behaviour is a major social and health issue in New Zealand. Each year there are approximately 500 people who take their lives, and there are over 5000 hospitalisations for intentional self harm (Source: Ministry of Health). Every suicide death results in a profound and lasting impact on friends, family, whÄnau, and often whole communities.
Although New Zealand has a high rate of suicide by international standards, it has been trending downwards over the past few years. This is encouraging and gives us some indication that the efforts we have made in the suicide prevention area have been useful. New Zealand now has a well developed programme of activities in a range of sectors across the country.
There are many factors that influence suicide prevention and therefore it requires comprehensive action, from promoting resiliency to crisis management and support. Suicide prevention involves government agencies, local government, community and iwi groups, service providers, schools, prisons, district health boards, and the media.
New Zealand Suicide Prevention Strategy 2006 - 2016
The New Zealand Suicide Prevention Strategy (Ministry of Health, 2006) provides a framework to organise and coordinate a range of prevention efforts for this period and builds on the good work achieved by In our hands: New Zealand Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy (1998), which was jointly developed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs, The Ministry of Health and Te Puni Kokiri.
Action plans will be developed every five years to ensure the New Zealand Suicide Prevention Strategy 2006 - 2016 is translated into measurable and tangible activities. Together the strategy and action plans will help guide and co-ordinate suicide prevention.
New Zealand Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2008-2012
The New Zealand Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2008-2012 provides detail about how the goals of the New Zealand Suicide Prevention Strategy 2006-2016 will be achieved over the next five years. The action plan describes the types of actions required across the range of sectors involved in suicide prevention.
The action plan is made up of two companion documents. These documents are best read together.
- The Summary for Action provides detailed tables outlining outcomes, actions, milestones, whanau ora considerations, timeframes, and agencies responsible for implementing the actions.
- The Evidence for Action provides detail about the evidence, rationale and context underlying the actions.
Both action plan documents are available in PDF format from the Ministry of Health.
Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand (SPINZ)
Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand (SPINZ) is a non-government, national information service providing high quality information and resources to promote safe and effective suicide prevention activities.
SPINZ is part of the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand and since 1999 they have been supporting best-practice suicide prevention (under a Ministry of Health contract), through the provision, development and dissemination of evidence-based information and resources.
Crisis phone services
Phone 111 in emergency sitations if you feel you, or someone else, may be harmed. Alternatively go to the nearest Hospital Emergency Department.
Contact details for you nearest Mental Health Services Crisis Response Team can be found in your telephone book, listed under ‘Hospitals and other Health Service Providers' in the green section.
If you, or somebody else, need to talk to someone the following organisations can be of assistance.
- Youthline - Freephone 0800 37 66 33
- Lifeline - Freephone 0800 543 354
- Samaritans - Freephone 0800 726 666
This information has been sourced from the Ministry of Health and Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand (SPINZ). For more information please visit their websites.