Suicide prevention action plan 2026 - 2029: equality impact assessment
Equality impact assessment (EQIA) for Creating Hope Together: Scotland’s suicide prevention action plan (2026 to 2029).
Background
Our suicide prevention efforts build on the foundations set out in Every Life Matters published in 2018 and Choose Life, Scotland’s first suicide prevention strategy in 2002 – at both a national and local level.
Jointly with COSLA, we published Creating Hope Together—Scotland’s 10-year suicide prevention strategy—in 2022. This was accompanied by an initial three-year action plan (2022 – 2025) setting out the work required to commence the delivery of the strategy’s overarching ambitions.
Implementation of the strategy and action plan is led by Suicide Prevention Scotland, an external delivery collective headed by Haylis Smith, our National Delivery Lead.
Our suicide prevention strategy is backed by a dedicated suicide prevention budget which has doubled over the course of the current parliament to £2.8 million meeting our 2021 Programme for Government commitment. This work is also supported by many other elements of the mental health spend including our annual £15m Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults and the annual £15m Children and Young People’s Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Supports and Services. The supports and services are focused on prevention and early intervention, promoting positive mental health and wellbeing, and tackling emotional distress. Where appropriate, these services offer an alternative to CAMHS by providing support in a community setting. These have been important sources of support in communities in recent years, which have benefitted thousands of individuals across all areas of Scotland.