Suicide is everybody's business; that’s the key message we’ve heard throughout this inquiry. That's the message we all need to remember and share. Suicide can affect anybody, there isn’t a community in Wales where people haven’t been touched by suicide, and talking about suicide does not make it more likely to happen.

The committee heard clearly that raising awareness amongst the public, as well as those working in front-line services, is absolutely paramount. We need to encourage help-seeking behaviour and promote a more compassionate response to people in distress. Evidence from a range of stakeholders suggested that there would be merit in front-line staff across various professions receiving training in suicide awareness. In particular, we heard from the Samaritans that achieving much more consistent training for people on the front line, who are likely to encounter people who are at risk of suicide, is something that we can make some real progress on.

I am therefore pleased to refer to the Welsh Government’s response to recommendations 1 and 2 of this report. We welcome the Government’s commitment to make training resources available, and are keen to see how effective this will be in increasing the uptake of training in suicide prevention, both by the public and front-line professionals. It's not just a matter for doctors. 

The committee also welcomes the fact that the Assembly Commission has accepted recommendation 3, and we encourage the Commission to continue to promote the availability of training and support to all its staff, given the role everybody has to play in suicide prevention, and we need more talking therapies available everywhere, but more of that later. 

We are pleased that the Government has accepted recommendation 5 and has committed to take positive steps to ensure that all GPs in Wales understand the General Medical Council guidelines on sharing information in order to protect life. The committee received powerful evidence from Papyrus during this inquiry about their campaign to encourage NHS bodies to support staff appropriately to make a best-interest decision to break patient confidentiality in this setting. We understand that Papyrus also welcomes this response. As a committee, we recognise this is real progress.

In recommendation 13, we make it clear that action on a Wales-wide postvention strategy for suicide is an immediate priority. We welcome the Government’s positive response to look at what is happening in England with a view to adapting it for Wales. As a committee, we intend on returning to this issue in six months and expect development in this area.

In relation to part b of this recommendation, we have some concerns around the guidance to schools on talking about suicide and the support offered more generally to this vulnerable group. Now, Lynne Neagle, as both a member of this committee and Chair of the Children and Young People and Education Committee, will talk more about this in her contribution, as many of this committee’s recommendations strongly echo those in that committee’s report into the emotional and mental health of children and young people, 'Mind over Matter'.

Briefly, in relation to recommendation 25, there is strong evidence that reducing access to means is an effective element of suicide prevention. In line with our key message that suicide is everybody’s business, I want to highlight the important role that planning authorities, architects and others can play in suicide prevention, with the inclusion of measures to prevent suicide in all new building design. We strongly urge the Welsh Government to do all it can to ensure structures are safe.