Current status: Answered by Angela Constance on 26 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of its revised prison suicide prevention strategy.
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
SPS have completed the first stage of a review of Talk To Me, our suicide prevention strategy which was gathering the evidence base. This has included a literature review, User Voice interviews, staff focus groups, an NHS survey and a workshop for families. The next step is to analyse this evidence and formulate recommendations.
Once this is complete, recommendations will be presented to the SPS lead National Suicide Prevention Management Group for consideration and ratification. This group includes a number of experts in the field such as third sector, NHS and Public Health Scotland.
The policy will be aligned with the Scottish Government Suicide Prevention Strategy and Action Plan.