Commenting today (Tuesday) on the increase in deaths from suicide in 2019, Councillor Stuart Currie COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson said:  “These are both stark and sad figures out today and tragic to see. The sad fact is that these are much, much more than figures or statistics each and every one is a person, and each and every one is one too many.

“This link between deprivation and suicide is well known.  Between 2015 and 2019, people living in the most deprived areas were three times more likely to die by suicide compared to those living in the least deprived areas and this is something that needs to change, and change quickly.

“The link to poverty is the reason that suicide and mental health is and remains a key priority for Local Government and hopefully the publication of good practice guidance in the new year will assist us in our attempts to tackle this issue."