Documentary 1 – HNC Radio (Edinburgh College): Male Suicides in Scotland – why more men than women (4:1)

 

The idea for this Documentary is based on looking at the changing prevalence of male suicide rates in Scotland, and in particular, the different trends in young and older males in Scotland. The theme is to look at what can be done to change the worrying statistics that men in Scotland are more likely to take their own life compared to women (current ratio is 4 men to 1 woman) – I want to explore what it is about the male population that has resulted in this trend. What is it that men are a greater risk to completing suicide?

*****

Format of Documentary

The Documentary will open with a sound byte of a suicide survivor – there will be no bedding music, just the sole voice – describing what they were thinking at the moment they decided to try and take their own life. Music (Steven Wilson – “Perfect Life” (Grand Union Mix) will then be introduced and the Documentary commentator will inform the listeners about current suicide trends of males in Scotland with evidence collated from various previously researched sources

It is my intention to interview a member of the Scottish Government – hopefully Clare Haughey MSP who is Minister for Mental Health in the Scottish Government – to get a clear understanding as to how the Scottish Government  are working to change and reduce the number of suicides in the male population in Scotland.

If he opportunity to interview a representative form the Scottish Government is not available then an alternative will be to meet with Professor Rory O’Connor from Glasgow University who is currently conducting a “psychological autopsy” into social, clinical and cultural risk factors associated with male suicide in Scotland.

Back to suicide survivor interview – looking for a sound byte about what helped them recover.

Documentary commentator will then mention influence of how 3rd Sector organisations are helping also to work collaboratively with the Scottish Government in reducing male suicides in Scotland – mention main ones.

Next will be an interview with John Murphy who is a Suicide Prevention Coordinator from Health In Mind (Scotland) who currently works closely with male survivors of suicide. The content of this interview will focus on his work in looking at targeting susceptible members of the male population, and report on the progress made so far.

Documentary conclusion will be commentator summarising content covered in the documentary, and then offering contact details of local organisations that work closely with persons affected by suicide.

 

Evidence of Research undertaken

This documentary will focus specifically on the increasing trend for males in Scotland to participate in suicidal behaviours, more so than females in Scotland.

To corroborate these findings, evidence had to be obtained from various sources. One of the main source for these figures was from the ScotPHO – Public Information for Scotland – who are responsible to the Scottish Government for collecting & collating statistics pertaining to Scottish health matters and trends.

Link to website –  ScotPHO

This site displays the figures for suicide rates in Scotland for 2017 and although it is encouraging to observe that these figures are reducing, there is still a trend for the male population of Scotland to be up to 4 times more likely to participate in suicidal activity than females (in 2017 there were 680 suicides registered in Scotland – 522 were male and 158 were female). A question to be asked is – why is this?

It is my hope that a representative from The Scottish Government will be available for interview to discuss these figures in more detail, as well as looking at what solutions could be devised to reduce these figures. The Minister for Mental Health is Clare Haughey MSP and I have emailed her seeking an interview.

Interview request email: 

I wanted to speak to Clare Haughey MSP about the Scottish Governments recently published Scotland’s Prevention Suicide Action Plan 2018 which outlines what strategies the Scottish Government propose to reduce suicide rates in Scotland through improved suicide prevention work.

On May 29th 2018, BBC Scotland News reported that a new study is to be undertaken by researchers at Glasgow University to determine what triggers are predominant to increase the likelihood for a male in Scotland to take their own life.

Link to BBC article – BBC Article

This article evidences the need for further exploration and action in what can be done to reduce the continued risk of suicide in (primarily) the male population in Scotland. I decided to contact Professor Rory O’Connor to arrange an interview with him or a member of his team to discuss their work and progress to date:

Interview request email: 

It is my anticipation that the information obtained by at least one of these sources will recognise the importance in Community 3rd Sector working in delivering appropriate crisis services – working on the “front line” of suicide prevention.

During my research, I was informed of a very good example of suicide prevention and harm reduction work currently being delivered by a 3rd Sector organisation – Health In Mind (Scotland) – in Bonnyrigg, Midlothian. SHARE (Suicide Harm Awareness Recovery Empathy) is a service provided by Health In Mind and is both coordinated and delivered by John Murphy. The nature of this work is delivered both individually and in groups and I wanted to meet with the person responsible for coordinating this service. I made initial enquiries (through my wife who works or this organisation) who furnished me with the necessary contact details for both the person delivering the service and the Centre Manager who I would have to seek permission to approach staff with my request. This was also to inform them of the basis, content, story and content of my documentary.

Click to view – SHARE Website

Email evidence to contact Health In Mind Centre Manager (Joyce Turnbull):

Email evidence to contact Health In Mind Suicide Prevention Worker (John Murphy):

First response from Joyce Turnbull, Health In Mind Centre Manager:

And my response:

I wanted the opening of my documentary to have (and leave) a powerful impression on the listener, and I hoped to achieve this by an opening vocal only sound byte from a suicide survivor.

Whilst waiting for the responses to these collective emails, it offered a further opportunity to research content for the documentary, information that will corroborate with the topic and theme of the documentary. There are several other organisations which feature this topic and were suitable for researching this subject as they offered their perspectives on the topic via their online information and support.

CHOOSE LIFE: Website

BREATHING SPACE: Website

SAMARITANS: Website

Updated on Monday 10th December 2018:

Interviews with both John Murphy and Service Member (“James”) undertaken last Month at Orchard Centre in Bonnyrigg, Midlothian. Very good, interesting and extremely useful dialogue recorded with both parties which will be used and edited for the documentary. The content focuses on what is being done nationally and locally with suicide prevention work, as well as getting a very personal account from “James” regarding what it is like to consider taking your own life and acting on these intentions by ingesting various tablets in a vast quantity – something he did on more than one occasion. The next stage is to review the recorded material and isolate and separate the material to be considered for use in he documentary.

Interviews update:

The final interview to be done for the documentary is proving to be a bit more difficult to secure. My interview request with Professor O’Connor was especially difficult in that I did not receive any reply to my initial email, nor my follow-up email as evidenced below:

On a more positive note I received a reply from a Scottish Government representative regarding my initial request to interview Clare Haughey MSP, Minister for Mental Health. Although she was unable to meet with me due to current diary commitments, she did however direct me towards Rose Fitzpatrick, who was recently tasked with chairing a new National Suicide Prevention Group as part of he new Mental Health Strategy implemented by the Scottish Government in March 2017. Below is the email trail in arranging for this interview to now take place on Tuesday 18th December 2018 at 1.30pm.

 

Music update:

I have begun to edit the music to be used for my documentary (as bedding music) – mainly “Perfect Life” by Steven Wilson, as well as a new choice – “The Final Thing On My Mind” by The Pineapple Thief”. I feel both these pieces of music perfectly reflect the mood I am trying to establish in the documentary – slightly melancholic whilst at the same time offering positive melodies.

Steven Wilson – “Perfect Life”    &    The Pineapple Thief – “The Final Thing On My Mind”

Voice interview update:

There is a problem with an aspect of the recording done at the Orchard Centre. Whilst the recordings were being made, the sound of a clock ticking in the background is noticeable, and although more noticeable to myself when editing the file, and by class lecturer, it may be masked by he presence of the bedding music that will accompany these segments.

With a deadline of no later than 14th January for the documentary to have be finished with it reviewed by Conor Wright (Lecturer in Radio Broadcasting), things are becoming slightly more frantic in not only the preparation of the documentary material , but also the editing and production that will be required for the finished piece of work. Add in the pending Christmas holidays – with the college being closed for 2 weeks – then it is vital that effort is increased to allow deadline to be more comfortably met.