I had the privilege of being a member of the committee whilst the inquiry into suicide prevention was undertaken. I would like to thank the Chair, fellow members of the committee, the clerks and all those who gave evidence over the course of the inquiry. As Dai quite rightly points out in the foreword to the report, the number of deaths by suicide in Wales is truly staggering.

In 2017, 360 people chose to take their own lives, up by almost 12 percent on the previous year while the numbers of deaths by suicide have fallen in other UK nations. The vast majority of those who die by suicide are male. Men are three times more likely to take their own life. We have to ask ourselves why. What are we doing wrong as a nation? During the inquiry one message stood out to me: we have to improve access to psychological therapies. Waiting times for talking therapies can be well over a year, and this is unacceptable. Talking can literally save lives.

We must also overcome the stigma—the stigma surrounding suicide and the stigma relating to mental health. Tomorrow, Time to Change Wales is launching a campaign to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health amongst the male population in Wales. Hundreds of men are dying each year because, as a society, we have perpetuated the myth that admitting you have a mental health problem is a sign of weakness. It is not. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, it demonstrates strength to admit you are suffering. We need to recognise this collectively as a society that treats mental health no differently from physical health. You wouldn’t criticise someone suffering from a broken arm, so why would suffering from depression be treated any differently?

We have to eliminate the highly toxic phrase of ‘man up’ from our collective vocabulary. It forces men to suffer in silence and undoubtedly contributes to increased suicide rates. The Talking is a Lifeline campaign will encourage men to open up about their mental health issues without concerns of feeling judged or embarrassed. Time to Change Wales research found that many men were unable to talk to family and friends because of fear and anxiety about negative consequences.

There should be no negative consequences. Men should be free to talk about their mental health to someone they love, a friend they trust, or their GP. We have to eradicate the stigmas associated with mental health and, to that end, I fully endorse the Time to Change Wales Talking is a Lifeline campaign. Reducing the stigma is the first step, and while government has role to play, Time to Change Wales is best placed to drive the conversation. What Welsh Government can do is ensure that, when someone overcomes the stigma, help and support is immediately available.

I am delighted that the Minister has accepted the committee’s twelfth recommendation. We have to speed up access to psychological therapies. The voluntary sector and organisations, for example the Samaritans, play an irreplaceable part in society, and I know many people who have benefitted and survived dark times in their lives due to them. So, I pay tribute to these volunteers and thank them from the bottom of my heart for being there.

I'd like to say that we have an over-reliance on antidepressant medication. Wales has one of the highest antidepressant prescription rates in western Europe. GPs prescribe enough of these drugs to provide everyone in Wales with a 19-day supply. These drugs are effective for some people, but not for everyone, and can have horrific side effects for many patients. Cognitive behavioural therapy has been shown to be effective and trials have indicated that patients are less likely to relapse once treatment stops.

It’s time to end the stigma and it’s time to improve access to talking therapies. Talking saves lives; let’s be open about our mental health and take an important step towards making Wales a zero-suicide nation. And while we are having the conversation about our mental health, I hope that the Welsh Government makes swift progress in implementing the committee’s 31 recommendations. Diolch yn fawr.