Latest newsletter from Suicide Prevention Scotland - April 2026
The team at Public Health Scotland have published the latest Suicide Prevention Scotland newsletter (April 2026).
Created for people working in suicide prevention, it provides a helpful round-up of all the latest news, activity and opportunities from across the wider network.
Following the launch of the Creating Hope Together Action Plan 2026–2029 earlier this year, work is continuing across Scotland to deliver its priorities.
The plan focuses on reducing suicide, tackling inequalities, and ensuring people can access timely and compassionate support. It also places strong emphasis on collaboration and learning from lived and living experience.
Across the network, partners are aligning local activity with these national priorities, helping to build a more coordinated and effective approach to suicide prevention.
What if campaign evaluation
In 2025, we launched Scotland's biggest-ever conversation about suicide through the What If campaign. Delivered in three phases, we began by encouraging people to talk more openly, before creating space for deeper discussions through the What If podcast.
The latest phase focuses on building confidence to ask directly about suicide. While people are more open to talking, asking someone outright can still feel difficult. The message is simple: asking directly could save a life.
To support this, the campaign promotes three steps - ask directly, listen and acknowledge, and keep safe. It also continues to be shaped by lived experience, with ambassadors sharing personal experiences of asking or being asked directly about suicide.
Phase three has expanded its reach through TV, radio, and social media. This wider approach helps engage more people and encourages organisations across the network to share and support the campaign through our order toolkit system. Place your order here!
From what we’re hearing so far, the campaign is helping people feel more able to ask the question and support someone who might be struggling.
Opportunities to get involved
The website admin team at Suicide Prevention Scotland are pleased to announce that the events calendar and resource library are now live. These pages sit under the ‘I work in suicide prevention’ sections on the website.
The events calendar will help people working in suicide prevention to publicise events, and make it easier to find out what is happening across the sector.
Further updates
The Beacon, Angus’s Community Wellbeing Centre in Arbroath, is celebrating its first anniversary after supporting more than 800 people and providing over 4100 individual support sessions in its first year
At Mikeysline, their second Hive on the Road has recently been visiting more remote parts of Sutherland and Caithness, offering one-to-one support and listening to the personal stories that shape everyday life
SAMH, in partnership with Barratt Homes North Scotland and funded by the CITB Industry Impact Fund, is offering free suicide prevention training to people working across the construction industry and related sectors in Scotland
Stay up to date
To keep up with the latest news, events and updates from across the network, you can read the full newsletter and explore more resources on the Suicide Prevention Scotland website.