Psychiatric in-patient suicides were traced from the hospital death register for the 21-year period 1973 to 1993. Suicide rates for each of the 21 years were calculated and an overall rate of 3.68 per 1,000 admissions was found. Suicide rates for the period after 1987 were significantly lower than for the period before 1987. However, there was a significant upward trend during the last three years of the study period.
The role of the new Mental Health Act (introduced in 1987) on reducing the suicide rate and the effects of the amalgamation of three hospitals on increasing the rate are discussed.
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