Harsh reality of suicide evident

Hindsight, it is said, is a wonderful thing.

It's worth thinking about when considering the ruling of a coroner last week that criticised the Whanganui District Health Board's mental health service.

The comments were made by Coroner Tim Scott at an inquest into the death of a Wanganui woman, who committed suicide in November last year.

Two days before the woman took her life, she had taken an overdose of tablets. Her partner had found the woman unconscious, as well as a suicide note.

The woman was taken to Wanganui Hospital and the next day underwent a mental health assessment, which concluded she was not suicidal at that time and had no further intent to harm herself.

Within 48 hours the woman had killed herself.

Mr Scott has recommended the health board's mental health service re-assess its procedures around potential suicide victims, and it's heartening to see a public willingness on the part of the board to support the recommendations.

The board really had no other option - work around suicide prevention is an important and ongoing task, and all health boards, not just Whanganui's, need to ensure their screening procedures comply with best-practice models and are as searching as possible. Lives depend on it.

However, it would be easy but short sighted to just blame the health board, which is in a difficult position.

The vast majority of those who work in the health sector are genuinely committed to making the best possible difference in the lives of those they work with. The mental health sector is no exception.

In the case of someone who is seriously considering suicide, despite the best possible health services, there is no easy way to determine his or her intent.

Those who have seriously considered the means to take their own life are also likely to have considered the best way of concealing their intent from those closest to them, as well as medical professionals.

As societies continue to deal with the issue of suicide, more will inevitably be learned about it. Even now, there are far greater safeguards than just a decade ago. Preventing suicide entirely is impossible - but that is no reason to stop trying.

The human toll remains tragically high, particularly among our young people.

But while there remains a need for rigorous examination of the processes around keeping potential victims safe, it must be countered with the realisation that, sadly, sometimes there's only so much that can be done.

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