(2) who the (a) authors of and (b) contributors to Avoidable Deaths: Five Year Report of the National Confidential Inquiry into suicide and homicide by people with mental illness were;
(3) what the terms of reference were for Avoidable Deaths: Five Year Report of the National Confidential Inquiry into suicide and homicide by people with mental illness;
(4) why Avoidable Deaths: Five Year Report of the National Confidential Inquiry into suicide and homicide by people with mental illness investigated (a) suicides occurring between April 2000 and December 2004 and (b) homicide cases occurring between April 1999 and December 2003; and if she will make a statement;
(5) who in her Department determined the terms of reference for Avoidable Deaths: Five Year Report of the National Confidential Inquiry into suicide and homicide by people with mental illness.
“Avoidable Deaths”, the five year report from the National Confidential Inquiry Into Suicide and Homicide by People With Mental Illness (NCI) is a product of the Centre for Suicide Prevention at the university of Manchester. The centre has been commissioned by the National Patient Safety Agency to investigate suicides, homicides and sudden unexplained deaths in mental health services and make recommendations on how they might be prevented. The Department’s involvement is limited to representation on the NCI steering committee.
The NCI issues its major reports in a five year cycle, with the time periods for each report continuing from the previous report. The report is written by the NCI team, currently headed by the director, Professor Louis Appleby, and the assistant directors Professor Jenny Shaw and Dr. Nav Kapur, head of homicide research and head of suicide research respectively.
The data on all homicides is collected from the Home Office Homicide Index (HI). Where available, psychiatric reports prepared for the trial are obtained. Information on previous offences is collected from the National Crime Operations Faculty. Case details are submitted to mental health services in each individual’s district of residence and adjacent districts to identify those with a history of using mental health services, including those with a lifetime contact. These individuals become inquiry cases and those cases with recent service contact (within 12 months of the offence) are analysed as the main sample.
Information on inquiry cases is obtained from a questionnaire sent to the consultant psychiatrist within the applicable clinical team. For all homicide convictions, data are collected on methods and victims from the HI, including data on diminished responsibility and hospital orders. Data on mental illness at the time of offence comes from psychiatric reports prepared for the Crown Prosecution Service, including details of mental health, drug and alcohol use at the time of the offence. The questionnaire also provides data covering demographic details, clinical history, details of the homicide, details of in-patient/community care received, details of final contact with services, events leading to the homicide and respondents’ views on prevention.
Due to delays inherent in the notification procedures, homicide data were not complete for 2004, the final year of the study. Data on homicides in this report therefore cover the period April 1999 to December 2003, where they are more complete. Data on suicides are more complete for 2004, hence the report covers the period April 2000 to December 2004.