A GWENT borough has had a higher rate of suspected suicides since Welsh health officials started tracking them than any other area of Wales.
The figures are now being examined by public health officials at the Aneurin Bevan University Health board with two other Gwent council areas also abvove the Welsh average.
Suspected suicides include deaths which haven’t yet been fully considered by a coroner, who in law is the only person capable of determining if a death is by suicide, and can over estimate the figure when compared to suicides as recorded by a coroner and published the Office for National Statistics.
The suspected suicide rate has been collected across Wales since 2022/23 and since that time the Welsh average has been 14.5 deaths per 100,000 Welsh residents.
Over that period Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire and Torfaen have been above the Welsh average with Caerphilly and Newport below it.
Public health consultant Dr Emily Clark told councillors in Monmouthshire the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board’s public health team is looking at why Blaenau Gwent has had more suspected suicides than the 21 other local authority areas in Wales.
The figure for Blaenau Gwent is 21.3 suspected suicides while Monmouthshire had the third highest rate at 18.6, below Gwynedd at 19, while Torfaen was seventh highest at 17.6.
Caerphilly, with 12.5 suspected suicides was in 16th position while Newport had 11 suspected suicides which was second lowest to Flintshire at 10.5.
Dr Clark reminded the council’s public services committee, which was being briefed on on support services, a “small increase” of one or two deaths, with numbers overall being low, could have a significant increase on percentage changes.
She said it is expected those figures across local authority areas will change over time but said the figures for four of the Gwent council areas are “within the variation we expect to see”.
The Blaenau Gwent figure is considered a “statistically significant rate” compared to the Wales average and the public health consultant said: “Blaenau Gwent is slightly above and that’s something we will look at as a public health team very closely.”
Councillors were also updated on support available including the www.melo.cymru website, the NHS 111 option two service for urgent mental health support, the Mental Health Helpline for Wales which can be contacted for free on 0800 132 737 or by text on 81066.
Initiatives to increase awareness of the risk of suicide have included training for councillors and Dr Clark said everyone can help reduce the risk by being willing to discuss it.
She said: “We all have our part to play as friends, family members and professionals in our personal and professional lives as well.”
Dr Liz Andrew, consultant clinical psychologist for the health board, said people can consider suicide due to problems such as gambling or debt, rather than mental health, and it is important to address those concerns which she described as like a “bubble” overwhelming people.
She said: “It can be a stranger that can burst that bubble.”