Meeting 17

Present: Brian Ring, Gerard Doolan, David Griffin, Suzi Lyons, Alice Wainwright, Dr Paul Corcoran, Dr Cróna Gallagher, Eileen Williamson, Niall McTernan, Jackie Hickey, Sarah Woods (National Office for Suicide Prevention)
Apologies: Dr Philip Dodd, Prof Ella Arensman, John O'Connor, Kevin Kelly, Regina Ward, Dr Mary Flanagan, Laura Galligan
Action Points: Niall McTernan

Brian welcomed all attendees and introduced Sarah Woods, Lead for strategy implementation, stakeholder engagement and education at the National Office for Suicide Prevention.

Jackie provided an update on the notification of deaths consultation conducted by the General Register Office. The minister is currently working on legislation to allow for online registrations whereby relatives of the deceased can register a death online. While the GRO is currently working with the HSE to repurpose data, current legislation to include PPN.
GRO to engage with Coroner service regarding language used in relation to suicide following consultation process
Dr Gallagher queried if there were any plans for an interim death certificate to be given statutory footing. Jackie indicated there were no plans in this regard.
Paul queried if the Irish Health Identifier is to be used, Jackie indicated that this would be ideal but PPSN number would be used only for now
Brian reviewed the minutes and action points from the previous group meeting held on April 6th, 2022
HSE NOSP PULSE Advisory Group to be shared by Niall following correspondence with HSE NOSP

Share membership of NOSP PULSE Steering Group (Niall)
GRO to engage with Coroner service regarding language used in relation to suicide following consultation process
Discussion on receiving coroner verdicts in an official way moved to next meeting
Provide demonstration on detail that can be added to CSO system also moved to next meeting (John)

Ger provided a summary of the CSO Summary of Suicide Statistics 2015-2019 release published on September 9th, 2022. Method included following consultation with personnel at the CSO
Paul stated that it was welcome to see the segment in relation to late registered deaths and suggested that it would be important to include the Samaritans media guidelines for reporting suicide in future releases
Sarah welcomed the inclusion of signposting and help seeking resources and reiterated Paul's comment in relation to the importance of including the media guidelines for reporting suicide
Proposal for the release to be updated on an annual basis to be discussed by CSO at the beginning of 2023. Outcomes to be relayed to the NOSP, as NOSP release on suicide figures would be no longer required.
CSO Vital Statistics yearly report to be published in the last week of October. Ger indicated that after the 22-month reference period, a significant number of deaths by suicide are still not coming through the system. In 2019, up to 1,000 deaths overall are late registered
Dr Gallagher indicated that Dublin accounts for a lot of these, with multiple complex cases involving prisons, hospitals, hybrid inquests etc. Dr Gallagher stated that extra coroners have been recruited to allow us to progress more recent cases earlier and deal with the backlog generally and progress is being made etc

Discuss next steps internally and liaise with NOSP re. annual release of suicide figures (CSO)

Sarah provided some background information on the An Gárda Síochána / NOSP data sharing agreement. The aim of the agreement is improving the public health response to suicide via access to more real time data and includes Gardai receiving a bereavement pack for families, in addition to referral options for the Bereavement Liaison Service.
The Data Sharing Agreement is currently at Garda Headquarters awaiting sign off
Brian stated that it would be beneficial to invite Superintendent Aidan Minnock and Laura Galligan to provide an update on the proposed change to the suicide category in An Gárda Síochána Pulse System at the next meeting, particularly the interaction between the different stands
Eileen suggested that it would be of benefit to compare Pulse data with data from the Suicide Observatory in Cork and Kerry and National Self-Harm Registry Ireland data

Invite Superintendent Aidan Minnock and Laura Galligan to provide an update on the proposed change to the suicide category in An Gárda Síochána Pulse System at the next meeting (Niall)

Sarah indicated that the report, based on four years of data, will be published in November

Paul provided an update on data from Cork and Kerry
Concern around increase in suicide among older people in Kerry
Relatively high use of firearms in Cork/Kerry but expected number very low
Ongoing collaboration between stakeholders in relation to prevention at specific waterways linked to death
Concern re. post COVID rebound

January 18th at 2pm, via zoom.

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