How many patients discharged from psychiatric units have committed suicide within one month of release in each of the last five years.

The following table showsthe amount of patients discharged from psychiatric units who have committedsuicide within one month of release, over the last five years:
Year
| General Scottish Suicides
| Inquiry Scottish Suicides
| Community Scottish Suicides
| Died Within 1 Month of Discharge

1997

| 686
| 161
| 149
| 14

1998

| 875
| 202
| 175
| 31

1999

| 873
| 215
| 190
| 27

2000

| 878
| 202
| 176
| 19

2001

| 887
| 214
| 200
| 22

2002

| 899
| 164
| 150
| 17

Source:General Register Office (Scotland). Compiled by the National Confidential Inquiry IntoSuicide and Homicide By People With Mental Illness, (University of Manchester).
Notes:
“Inquiry suicides” are thoseof patients who died within 12 months of contact with mental health services. “CommunitySuicides” are those of patients who were not in-patients at time of death. Thefigures for general Scottish suicides include those for “sequelae” or “lateeffect” and include those under 15 years of age. The remaining figures do notinclude those for “sequelae” or “late effect” or those under 15 years of age.
It is for this reason thatthe Scottish Executive identified people with mental health problems, inparticular those in contact with mental health services as a priority group foraction, as part of the Choose Life national strategy to prevent suicide in Scotland,which I launched in December 2002.