Dr Neil Hudson, Member of Parliament for Epping Forest, attended and spoke at the launch of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention’s latest inquiry report, which focuses on young people and suicide. The APPG on Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention, of which Dr Hudson is an Officer, is a cross-party group of Parliamentarians working collaboratively to raise awareness within Parliament around suicide and self-harm prevention.
The launch of this report comes at a critical time, with suicide rates among young people reaching alarming levels. Tragically, suicide is the leading cause of death amongst people aged 10-24.
The inquiry report, based on responses from 274 individuals, including 150 young people with lived experience, highlights the urgent need for government action. It emphasises the crucial role of education and healthcare systems in equipping young people with life-saving wellbeing and suicide prevention skills. Additionally, it calls for improvements within the NHS to ensure that all young people experiencing suicidal thoughts receive compassionate care.
Dr Hudson is a vocal advocate for mental health and suicide prevention and has been actively involved in the APPG’s work as an Officer. As part of his efforts, Dr Hudson has tirelessly campaigned for the inclusion of suicide prevention into the National Curriculum throughout his political career, most recently urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to do so during Prime Minister's Questions.
Dr Hudson has also worked closely with the 3 Dads Walking, three fathers who sadly lost their daughters to suicide and facilitated meetings between the 3 Dads and former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, alongside securing a meeting between the 3 Dads and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Speaking after the launch, Dr Hudson said:
“This report sheds light on the devastating reality that suicide is the leading cause of death for young people aged 10-24. Through this inquiry, our APPG heard from individuals with lived experience and experts who emphasised that the Government must do more to prevent suicide across healthcare, education, and communities.
“Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy. I will continue to push with the 3 Dads Walking for the inclusion of safe, age-appropriate suicide prevention in school curricula and expanded mental health support across educational settings.”
The full APPG inquiry report is available at: https://media.samaritans.org/documents/APPG_young_people_and_suicide_report_2025_WEB.pdf
For more information on Dr Hudson’s work on suicide prevention and young people, please see: https://www.neilhudson.org.uk/campaigns/caring-more-our-mental-health
Helplines are available for those in need of support. For young people dealing with thoughts of suicide or those concerned for a young person who might be, PAPYRUS operate a confidential service called HOPELINE UK which you can call (0800 068 4141), text (07860039967), or email [email protected]. Other crisis helplines include the Samaritans (116 123), SANEline (0300 304 7000), National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK (0800 689 5652), and Campaign Against Living Miserably (0800 58 58 58).
