Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2025 - 2029 Consultation

Overview

Suicide prevention efforts in New Zealand are guided by these two documents:

1. 1. Every Life Matters – He Tapu te Oranga o ia Tangata: Suicide Prevention Strategy 2019–2029 (He Tapu te Oranga)
   2. Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2019–2024 for Aotearoa New Zealand.

The strategy contains the framework for a national approach to suicide prevention and was designed to be supported by two five-year action plans that would contain the practical activities to drive change.  The first Suicide Prevention Action Plan, covering 2019–2024, will expire at the end of this year.

The Ministry of Health has led the drafting of a new action plan which is strongly aligned with the Government’s Mental Health portfolio priorities, which in this context are to: 

• improve access to suicide prevention and postvention support
• grow a workforce that is able to support those at risk of or impacted by suicide
• strengthen our focus on prevention and early intervention across the range of factors that can influence suicide
• improve the effectiveness of suicide prevention and postvention supports by improving research and data collection.

The draft action plan draws from the insights that communities, families and people with lived experience have shared around what they need from government to prevent suicide, as well as the key evidence and research. 

The draft action plan focuses on a range of initiatives and actions that health agencies and government agencies have committed to that will support suicide prevention.

We are now interested in hearing your feedback on the draft action plan and how we can work together to prevent suicide in New Zealand. Your feedback will help inform the new Suicide Prevention Action Plan, which is expected to be released in 2025.

You can see the draft Suicide Prevention Action Plan and details on consultation on the Ministry of Health website.

How to take part

This consultation asks questions related to the draft Suicide Prevention Action Plan for 2025–2029. The full draft action plan is in the consultation document.

You do not need to answer every question.

At any time, you can use the 'Save and come back later' button at the bottom of the page to save your progress and complete the consultation at a later time. You will be emailed a unique link to return to your saved submission.

You can also provide your feedback on the draft action plan by sending us an email at mhaengagement@health.govt.nz or by attending an in-person or virtual consultation meeting.

The consultation closes on Friday 1 November at 5pm.

Information and consultation sessions on Draft Suicide Prevention Action Plan Consultation

There are two online information sessions covering:

• background to the Draft Suicide Prevention Action Plan and how it has been developed 
• information about the consultation process and how to get involved 
• opportunities for you to ask questions and understand how your feedback will inform the final action plan. 

PLEASE NOTE: These sessions are not consultation meetings and are to share information about the consultation only.

Information session one 

Date: Friday 20 September 2024 
Time: 10am – 11am 
Online link: Join the meeting now  

Meeting ID: 437 216 440 526  Passcode: rgTGfL 

Information session two

Date: Tuesday 24 September 2024 
Time: 11am – 12pm 
Online link: Join the meeting now 

Meeting ID: 434 575 373 410  Passcode: AMiHjC  

Next Steps 

Following these information sessions, there will be active consultation sessions from Wednesday 25 September to Thursday 31 October 2024.  

Register here to attend a Suicide Prevention Action Plan consultation session 

More sessions will be added over the next week. 

Your participation is important to ensure that the Action Plan reflects the needs and insights of a wide range of stakeholders.  

For any questions or further information on consultation sessions, feel free to contact our engagement partner at SPAPEngagement@synergia.co.nz.