GP Communication: Suicide in general practice

Suicide remains a significant problem throughout Australia. According to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), suicide accounted for more than 2500 deaths in 2013, an overall rate of 10.9 deaths per 100,000 population.¹ 

As the first point of medical contact for the majority of Australians, GPs are at the frontline in working with people who have considered or attempted suicide.

Dr Vered Gordon, a GP facilitator with the Black Dog Institute, believes GPs’ ability to provide a safe place for people to discuss their feelings can make a significant difference in working with those who may be considering suicide.

‘Suicidal thoughts are very common in a variety of mental health conditions and we do know that it’s helpful for patients to be able to talk about their suicidal thoughts 
and share that with someone they trust and 
who can understand and won’t judge,’ 
she told Good Practice.

‘I think the big thing we want GPs to do is really feel confident and willing to have conversations about suicidal thoughts.’

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GP Aug Suicide 2015 (pdf 163KB)