A number of Fermanagh natives have signed an open letter to the Minister of Health which calls for urgent action on suicide.

Writer Carlo Gébler, ‘We Deserve Better’ Campaigner Dylan Quinn, The Impartial Reporter’s Rodney Edwards and Art Psychotherapist Rachael Johnson, along with other representatives from various groups and sectors across Northern Ireland, have put their signatures to the letter which urges the new Minister for Health UUP MLA Robin Swann to “act now” to ensure that suicide prevention in prioritised.

Addressing the Minister, the letter states: “We are writing to you about a matter that simply cannot wait for the roll out of the action plans and strategies outlined in the New Decade, New Approach agreement - and that is the issue of suicide.”

The letter highlights the words of Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael McBride who stated in September 2019 that “there is no greater public health challenge than suicide”. It continues by noting how already in 2020 Dr. McBride’s statement has been proven “all too accurate” with the tragic loss of more lives by suicide this year.

Asking the Minister to declare a public health emergency, as a “first practical step” the letter calls for him to immediately double the funding available for counselling and to ensure that nobody waits longer than 28 days for a counselling appointment.

The letter continued: “It is vital for you to ensure that suicide prevention is prioritised within the upcoming Programme for Government, not only by your own department, but around the Executive table.”

“Given the concentration of deaths by suicide in deprived communities, commitments in New Decade, New Approach, designed to address poverty and inequality, must also be recognised as suicide prevention measures and resourced accordingly. But we need your help today. We are all doing our but to prevent any more deaths by suicide.

“We urge you to act now,” the letter concluded.

Speaking to The Impartial Reporter following the first All Party Group (APG) meeting on suicide prevention since Stormont was re-established, Sinn Fein MLA Jemma Dolan commented that suicide prevention is “not just a Department of Health issue”.

“Suicide is everybody’s business. It’s cross-cutting on all departments so definitely all departments should be working together to see what we can do to tackle it because definitely it shouldn’t be left up to the Department of Health or the Department of Education,” said Miss Dolan.

She continued: “There’s been a lot of talk of training, that people need, it was mentioned that teachers need training.

“Teachers do need training but teachers have a lot of other work to do as well. I think everybody needs trained, benefit workers, vets, teachers, the health care workers. Everyone who is coming face to face with the public need to be trained, so definitely it cuts across all departments.”

“I know as a party that’s what we are pushing for so hopefully now that will be implemented,” Miss Dolan added.

Commenting on the issues covered during the APG meeting on suicide prevention, which was hosted at Action Mental Health, New Horizons in Enniskillen, Miss Dolan said: “The topic was the rurality of our location, social isolation and loneliness, and if there’s any correlation in suicides in rural areas and urban areas.

“What I found interesting about loneliness is that we’re meant to be more connected now, we have Skype, we have Instagram, Facebook, but at the back of it all, it’s not the amount of people that you have, it’s the value and the meaningfulness of that.”

Talking about how suicide has impacted her local community, Miss Dolan shared: “I am from Belleek and unfortunately there have been a number of attempted suicides, some that have went through and I have seen first hand the impact that has had on a community and it is just devastating.”

“I don’t ever want to have to experience that again because it just really shocked and devastated a community, it’s really awful and the families are so affected but that then goes out into the community and it is just wide ranging then,” she told this newspaper.

David Babington, Chief Executive of Action Mental Health highlighted how suicide is an issue in Fermanagh, particularly in the farming community. “We are trying to spread a bit of hope.

“People do feel a bit lacking in hope. I think with the assembly coming back there’s a bit of momentum coming now and Brexit, which we appreciate is a big issue down here with the Border and all that, and farmers are worried about that as well.”

“I think the big message is that there is hope here and a renewed energy.

“Suicide is a very tragic issue but actually I think we have to be positive and try to say there is hope there and I think that’s something that people who are dealing with suicide ideations and are worried about their wellbeing, that they’ve got to know that there is hope and that will help them to pull out of it and recover,” Mr. Babington concluded.

Do you need help? Phone Samaritans on 116123 or Lifeline on 0808 808 8000.