The minister for mental health and wellbeing Sarah Murphy is set to launch Wales’ new 10-year strategy today, which focuses on tackling the problems that cause people to experience suicidal thoughts, an improving support for those experiencing self-harm.

The strategy will take into account people’s lived experiences and target stigma around suicide and self-harm to create an environment where people feel comfortable to seek support without fear or judgement.

Additionally, the Welsh government will invest more than £2 million in the National centre for Suicide Prevention and Self-harm at Swansea University through Health and Care Research Wales, marking a significant advance in understanding these complicated aims.

The new Suicide Prevention and Self-Harm Strategy involves six aims: listening and learning, preventing, empowering, supporting, equipping, and responding, which recognises that suicide can affect anyone at any age, though some groups are more at risk than others.

Suicide is more prevalent among middle-aged men (aged 30 to 55), while self-harm is more common among young women (aged 15 to 19), and this distinction is reflected in the tailored approaches within the strategy.

Minister for mental health and wellbeing Sarah Murphy said: “This ambitious strategy focuses on building understanding, prevention, and compassionate support for everyone affected by suicide and self-harm.

“By working across government departments and with our partners, we’re tackling the root causes while ensuring immediate help is available to those who need it.

“It’s through supporting and working with third sector organisations like the Samaritans that we will achieve the ambitions set out in our Suicide Prevention and Self-Harm Strategy.”

Furthermore, the National Centre for Suicide Prevention and Self-harm has been appointed as an advisory body to the Welsh government, as well as a National Suicide and Self-harm team established within the NHS Executive.