What its position is on whether people with undiagnosed autism are at increased risk of suicide, and, if it considers this to be the case, …

The Scottish Government is aware of a growing number of studies linking autistic people (both diagnosed and undiagnosed) to increased chance of suffering from self-harm and suicidality, including the academic report Autistic traits in adults who have attempted suicide published by Richards, G., Kenny, R., Griffiths, S. et al. Molecular Autism and the academic report Links between self-injury and suicidality in autism published by Moseley et al. Molecular Autism in 2020.
People experiencing suicidality often face a complex set of personal issues and circumstances. As such, services must be person-centred and trauma-informed to ensure they provide compassionate and effective support. It is important services recognise and respond to the mental health challenges autistic people face in their day-to-day lives. In terms of learning resources, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) have developed Knowledge and Skills Frameworks for the Scottish Workforce on Mental Health Improvement, Self-Harm and Suicide Prevention, and Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing; these learning frameworks include resources and guidance on providing mental health support for autistic people. In addition, as part of a National Trauma Training Programme funded by the Scottish Government, NES have developed a knowledge and skills framework and training resources to support the Scottish workforce to better understand and respond to trauma.
The Scottish Government set up the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG) to oversee the delivery of the Suicide Prevention Action Plan ‘Every Life Matters’, published in 2018. The Plan continues to deliver a wide range of actions, including: campaigns to reduce stigma and promote suicide awareness (with a focus on reaching groups with a higher risk of suicide), improving suicide prevention skills of the workforce; ensuring effective, compassionate support to anyone in crisis, and supporting local suicide prevention planning.
In developing the new suicide prevention strategy and action plan, which will publish in September, the Scottish Government and COSLA are focussed on how to further develop effective approaches to reach and support groups at heightened risk of suicide, including autistic people. This will include drawing on research, lived experience insight, and examples of good practice.
The Scottish Government published our Learning/Intellectual Disabilities and Autism Towards Transformation Plan in March 2021. The plan looks at the actions needed to shape supports, services and attitudes to ensure that the human rights of autistic people and people with learning/intellectual disabilities are respected and protected and that they are empowered to live their lives, the same as everyone else. Vital to the successful implementation of the plan are actions to improve diagnostic and post-diagnostic services, to improve waiting times and to provide the support newly diagnosed autistic people require.
We are also carrying out new leadership and engagement work where lived experience is at the heart of the whole process. This process looks to empower autistic people and people with learning disabilities to be the leaders in transforming Scotland, starting by looking at what is needed to improve mental health for autistic people and people with learning disabilities.