Hanging cases attended by North East Ambulance Service, 2020-2024: a service evaluation

Suicide rates in England and Wales remain consistently high, with 10.7 deaths recorded per 100,000 people. The North East had the highest suicide rate in seven of the 10 most recent years. The most common method of suicide is hanging, which accounts for 60% of deaths. This study compares the latest findings regarding hangings within the North East of England to a previous service evaluation within this area.

A service evaluation taken from a comprehensive pre-hospital trauma audit database that included children was subdivided into three specific groups: out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) due to hanging, strangulation and suffocation; attempted hanging, strangulation and suffocation (non-OHCA); and threatened hanging, strangulation and suffocation. Key findings within this evaluation are compared to a previous North East Ambulance Service evaluation, which covered the period from 1 December 2018 to 31 November 2020 and recorded 604 cases. This evaluation recorded a greater number of cases and highlighted that the number of hanging cases had doubled.

This study reports on hanging cases between 1 December 2020 and 29 February 2024 and includes 2001 cases. The number of cases increased from 0.8 per day in the previous evaluation to 1.6 cases per day. The data showed rises within the female population in both the non-OHCA and threatened categories. There was found to be a rise in patients who had made a previous suicide attempt by hanging. Two thirds of cases were found to be from the most deprived postcodes.

The number of hanging cases within the North East region continues to rise. The second evaluation included data recorded over the COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown period and may suggest an increase in hanging attempts within vulnerable groups of patients. The data suggests a socio-economic link, which may account for the high numbers of hangings being recorded in the most deprived areas of the North East.