Council officials have vowed to prioritise suicide prevention as Darlington recorded the sixth highest rate in England.
Stark new figures show the rates of suicide in Darlington are higher than the national average, and the third highest in the North East.
There is currently a wide disparity between genders, with the rates for men almost four times the rates for women. Darlington sees high rates of suicide in men aged 45-64.
Rebecca Morgan, public health officer at Darlington Borough Council, said: “There’s still work to do, and it’s still a priority for us and all our partners across the borough we’re working with.”
Darlington’s figures show an increased rate of suicides per 100,000 population that was significantly greater than the England average over recent years, which “must be addressed as a priority,” the council said.
A report added: “While the rates in Darlington are high, the number of lives lost to suicide remains relatively small. This does not lessen the impact of these tragic losses, but it means that caution is exercised when sharing local data to ensure that anonymity is protected.”
Meanwhile, the Suicide Prevention Partnership set up a group to develop a marketing campaign to highlight the specific support that is available in Darlington for men experiencing suicidal crisis.
The council added: “Suicide prevention and risk reduction continue to be a focus for system-wide activity in Darlington and in the wider regional structures.
"Initial work to explore and further develop local action will continue, co-ordinated by the Suicide Prevention Partnership. Local data and intelligence, alongside the evidence base for suicide prevention, will be utilised to inform further local actions.”
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Councillor Mary Layton highlighted the concerning impact of gambling on people’s mental health.
Speaking at a council meeting, she said: “It’s a very private, secretive, and terrifying addiction. It’s got a real, crippling impact on people.”
Lorraine Hughes, Darlington’s director of public health, said the council is tackling the growth of online gambling and its impact on the community. She added: “It’s a really important issue and we are working on it. There is increasing evidence that gambling is a factor in suicide.”
If you need support, contact Samaritans for free on 116 123 or other sources of support, such as those listed on the NHS help for suicidal thoughts webpage.
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