To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government's suicide prevention strategy considers the needs of the gypsy, Roma and traveller communities.
Answered on
27 June 2022
While the 2012 Suicide Prevention Strategy does not make specific reference to the the gypsy, traveller and Roma (GTR) communities, the ‘Preventing suicide in England: Fifth progress report of the cross-government outcomes strategy to save lives’ refers to the needs of these communities. This encourages local areas to reflect the specific requirements of the population in suicide prevention plans, including GTR communities where relevant.
The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement also encourage local services and organisations to engage with the voluntary sector on best practice in supporting specific communities. We will publish a new, long-term plan for suicide prevention later this year.