The suicide rate in North Ayrshire is higher than the rest of the county, latest figures reveal.

Recently-released statistics revealed at the Integration Joint Board on Thursday show that the number of deaths over a two-year period in the area peaked at five in October 2021.

According to Public Health Scotland statistics between 2017 and 2021, there were 111 deaths by suicide in North Ayshire compared with 106 in East Ayrshire and 69 in South Ayrshire.

The North Ayrshire deaths were just nine below the Scottish average of 120.

Councillor Anthea Dickson said: “People are very taken by surprise when someone commits suicide.

“We are now becoming very adept in our response to suicide but we need to  get more information about how we could be better informed beforehand. The key is to analyse as much as we can.

“The community want to know and want to help if someone expresses anything negative; who do they go to and how do they accelerate support?

“We are very good at response but the prevention is still a bit of a mystery.”

Board member Louise McDaid called for urgent action on any potential links between gambling and suicide.

She said: “We don’t collect suicide by gambling figures in Scotland.

“We  are the only country in the UK that doesn’t do it which I find really concerning. England and Wales do and 500 commit suicide as a result of gambling alone per year.

“When that happens, it becomes a public health issue as money comes into it. This does not get discussed and we are not collating accurate figures in my opinion.”

An IJB official said: “One of the findings within our review on probable deaths by suicide group which  has emerged is that gambling can have an impact.”

A group has been set up to try and tackle the issue of suicides.

The suspected death by suicide review group was initially established in January 2022. 

North Ayrshire health and social care partnership  has established a long-standing strategic suicide prevention group, chaired by the independent chair of the child and adult protection committee. 

This group reports to the chief officers public protection group and delivers oversight of the work of the North Ayrshire young people’s suicide taskforce and suspected death by suicide review group.

The North Ayrshire young people’s suicide taskforce was established in 2018 in response to a number of young teenage deaths locally.

The adult suicide prevention task force was established last year with a focus on the review of deaths by probable suicide for all adults in North Ayrshire.