SUICIDE AND HEALTH CUTS.

Attempted suicide story

Todays news is dominated by the cuts in the National Health serve. The story below has been available for almost a week but has received limited publicity. It highlights the suicide issue especially in N.Belfast. The article is found in the N.Belfast News, I have pasted it here, they can sue me if they don`t like it.

While the circumstances of the suicides involving these two young girls are unknown I did notice a very prominent story in the national UK news carrying the story of a young woman who attempted suicide. It was noticible the young lady in question seemed to have everything to live for according to the current standards of this world.
No social element of society is safe from the dangers of suicide.
Two more deaths as suicide workers fear funding costs
North Belfast News 10th of May 2010
Gemma Burns
Suicide prevention workers have expressed fears that funds set aside to tackle the suicide crisis could be cut as another two North Belfast families are faced with the tragedy of a loved one taking their own lives.
PIPS Programmes manager Philip McTaggart and Vincent Donaldson from the Positive Steps group say they are both deeply worried that as the Department of Health prepares to make a funding cut of £127m, that suicide prevention could be badly hit in the savings.
The fears come in the same week that an 18 year old New Lodge woman and a 20 year old woman from Ballysillan both took their own lives.
Despite the suicide epidemic in the north of the city the North Belfast News has seen a letter written by a Department of Health official saying there are “no guarantees” as they try to make efficiency savings.
"Whilst the Minister is clear on the importance of the work undertaken on suicide prevention, it is not possible, at this stage, to provide guarantees on which areas of health care will be unaffected by the overall cut in the health and social care budget," the letter reads.
The department currently sets aside £3 million per year into the Protect Life Suicide Prevention Strategy.
However Philip McTaggart, who founded PIPS after his own son took his own life, and now runs training group PIPS Programmes, said he has genuine concerns that those who desperately need it will lose out.
“Everyone realises there is going to be cuts but the fear is that suicide prevention could be one of the real losers," he said.
"I worry that the £3 million will be cut or even that it would no longer be ring-fenced but put into the overall budget which would also mean a cut. This would have a devastating effect not only in North Belfast but all over the six counties.
"No matter what happens with the budget here at PIPS Programmes we will do all we can but the impact on this community could be terrible.”
His fears were echoed by Vincent Donaldson from west Belfast suicide prevention group, Positive Steps.
"There isn't enough going into suicide prevention at the minute as it is, if they are going to make these huge savings then it will make things even worse," he said.
"I am going here today to the funeral of a young woman who took her own life and for every suicide there are many more attempted suicides. The problem is still there. I am very worried about what these cuts will mean."
North Belfast MLA Carál Ní Chuilín said the Department of Health needs to make a firm commitment to the anti suicide strategy.
"The issue we have here is that between North and West Belfast we have the highest suicide rate in the North," she said.
""More people end their own lives here than anywhere else and the department needs to commit to funding the services that are so desperately needed."
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said the funding allocations have not yet been finalised.
"A process of analysis, consideration and prioritisation regarding funding in currently underway with all Health and Social Care organisations," she added.
"Tackling suicide remains a key priority for the Minister and the Department. The Minister will make an announcement about funding allocations in due course."

The stories of Scheming rascals who have committed suicide.
2 Samuel 17:23
23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

Matthew 27:3-6
3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.