Economic crises lead to poorer health, and that includes an increased risk of suicide. At a symposium hosted by the British Medical Association’s Board of Science in June 2023, several interested stakeholders discussed the importance of renewed efforts to increase awareness of suicide risk and to reduce the number of suicides in the UK. That’s why, in this statement, the BMA’s Board of Science has set out the evidence on suicide in time of economic difficulty, along with our recommendations to protect both the mental health of the population and our healthcare workers.

Recommendations for change

With thanks to all stakeholders who attended and spoke at the Board of Science’s symposium ‘Suicide prevention during economic crises: A UK approach’.

Read more about the event which helped shape this report.