Britain gets a suicide prevention minister

Britain’s prime minister has appointed a suicide prevention minister as part of a national effort to reduce the number of people who take their own lives.

Theresa May named Jackie Doyle-Price to the newly created post as representatives of 50 countries gathered in London on Wednesday for a mental health summit. She also pledged £1.8 million to ensure the Samaritans charity can continue to offer a free counselling hotline. Some 4,500 people take their lives every year in England.

The Campaign Against Living Miserably, dedicated to preventing male suicide, described the appointment as groundbreaking.

CEO Simon Gunning says the move helps by “shining a light on suicide and its devastating effects, de-stigmatising the issue, and continuing to build support for all those affected across the UK”.