Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 12 September 2018
12 Sep 2018 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Suicide Prevention
I am sure that there are tools that have been used in the past that are now a bit out of date, but it is important to use whatever tools get people to talk. One of the pieces of evidence that I learned from the Brothers in Arms website was that a lot of men do not want to talk, but a wee app might open the door to access to professional help and treatment. I welcome Alex Cole-Hamilton’s intervention.
A local group for retired farmers has been established in my area. It is organised by Jill Rennie, has health and wellbeing funding, and takes a collaborative approach with Teresa Dougall, who is the regional manager for NFU Scotland. Teresa and Jill have been widening participation among retired farmers and are dealing specifically with isolation.
I take the opportunity to welcome the 10 actions and the comprehensive measures that are set out in the programme for government to tackle mental health issues, and I welcome the commitments in the suicide prevention plan. I look forward to those actions and measures being implemented, and to scrutinising them as a member of the Health and Sport Committee. I also look forward to seeing the evidence of their maximum impact, because every life matters and suicide is preventable.
16:08In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-13847, in the name of Clare Haughey, on “Scotland’s Suicide Prevention Action Plan: Every Life Matters”. ...
The Minister for Mental Health (Clare Haughey)
SNP
It is of particular importance to me personally that my first debate as Minister for Mental Health is on the subject of suicide prevention. This is a subject...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
This is an issue that affects all parts of and all communities in the country. Does the minister accept that the impact of a suicide can be particularly prof...
Clare Haughey
SNP
I will certainly go on to talk about some of the training that is part of the action plan. I fully acknowledge what Liam McArthur said about the impact of su...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
I welcome the introduction of the leadership group. One of the issues that concerns me and stakeholders outside the Parliament is legacy and what comes next....
Clare Haughey
SNP
If the member lets me progress a little bit further, I will explain a bit more about what the leadership group will do. I am delighted to say that Rose Fitz...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
Before I call Annie Wells, I remind members who wish to speak in the debate that it is helpful if they press their request-to-speak buttons; otherwise they w...
Annie Wells (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
I welcome Clare Haughey to her new role as minister. I look forward to working with her during the coming months and years on a very important topic. We owe...
Clare Haughey
SNP
To clarify, an additional £3 million of suicide prevention moneys is going into the leadership group to assist with its work. The group will publish a work p...
Annie Wells
Con
I thank the minister for her intervention, because I am just coming on to the £3 million additional investment. Although initial expectations were that the £...
Clare Haughey
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Annie Wells
Con
No, thank you. I want to make progress. I have put written questions to the Scottish Government, and I am describing the answers that I have received. I wou...
Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Scottish Labour welcomes the opportunity to debate suicide prevention, following world suicide prevention day 2018 on Monday 10 September. I thank every orga...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
It gives me great pride to open for the Liberal Democrats this afternoon. I will take a moment to welcome Clare Haughey to the ministerial office that she no...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I remind members to use full names in the chamber. Friendly though you may be, Mr Cole-Hamilton, you know that. 15:18
Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green)
Green
As members have heard, 680 Scots lost their lives by suicide last year. That total was lower than in previous years, but Samaritans has told us that last yea...
Clare Haughey
SNP
One of the leadership group’s actions will be to develop, by May next year, a training package that will apply across the country. Alison Johnstone mentioned...
Alison Johnstone
Green
I thank the minister for her intervention. We also welcome the additional £3 million, but Samaritans says that, “Whilst the ambition and scope ... of the P...
Clare Adamson (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)
SNP
I very much welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate this afternoon and to talk about the strategy that the Scottish Government has produced. I li...
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate. Although we have made great strides in breaking down the stigma of poor mental health, suicide remains a di...
Angela Constance (Almond Valley) (SNP)
SNP
It is a privilege to participate in today’s debate. I am in no doubt that, as others have reflected, suicide will have touched all our lives in many ways, wh...
David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome Clare Haughey to her post, and I wish her well in her future endeavours. More than 40 years ago, as a fresh-faced young man in my early 20s, I joi...
Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
SNP
It is a pleasure to speak in this afternoon’s debate on “Scotland’s Suicide Prevention Action Plan: Every Life Matters”. It is also quite humbling. Much of t...
Bill Bowman (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
As we go through this debate, certain topics are mentioned by many speakers. I welcome the suicide prevention action plan, with its 10 action points. In the...
Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I am pleased to be able to speak in today’s debate. I remind Parliament that I am a nurse and that I am deputy convener of the Health and Sport Committee. I...
Alex Cole-Hamilton
LD
Does Emma Harper agree that although there are great apps out there, websites such as beating the blues—the go-to online referral technology that is used by ...
Emma Harper
SNP
I am sure that there are tools that have been used in the past that are now a bit out of date, but it is important to use whatever tools get people to talk. ...
Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I am grateful to the Presiding Officer for permission to be excused for the earlier part of the debate, which allowed me to stick to a prior engagement with ...
Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP)
SNP
I am grateful for the opportunity to return to an issue that I first brought to the chamber in 1999. Progress has been made since I asked that first question...
Maurice Corry (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
Thank you, Presiding Officer, for this opportunity to speak on the significant matter of suicide prevention, which affects many people throughout Scotland. ...