Auditor-General's report published, Collecting and using information about suicide

The Auditor-General’s report Collecting and using information about suicide was presented to the House of Representatives today. A two-page summary is also available.

Suicide is a tragedy for everyone involved. In 2013, it was the third leading cause of premature death in NZ after heart disease and lung cancer.

Public agencies collect and use some information well to help them support those affected by suicide and find ways to prevent it. For example, reliable and detailed mortality statistics are kept on suicides and there is a rapid advice system in place for coroners to tell district health boards about suspected suicides in their area.

Information can be collected and used better, and public agencies are working together to fill gaps, reduce delays, and make better use of information. For example, the Ministry of Justice and others need to help coroners reduce the average time taken to complete their inquiries, which took between 100 and 200 days longer in 2014/15 than in 2010/11. The Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee is working with local review groups to ensure that their work is consistent and more timely. The Ministry of Health plans to include statistics on deaths from undetermined intent alongside data on suicide and serious intentional self-harm in its Suicide Facts 2014 report.

It is too early to tell whether the improvements that agencies are working on will be effective. Public agencies have included our suggestions in their ongoing improvements and it is important for them to make better use of information in the next one to two years to help prevent suicide.

Our staff have also written a series of blog posts about this performance audit.

ENDS

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