SUICIDE prevention should be a “priority public health issue” for Scotland and an “integral part of Scotland’s Covid-19 recovery” ministers have been told.

A new report from the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG) says this is “critical” as it warns the impact of the crisis will be felt on mental health and wellbeing “for some time to come”.

The group cites anecdotal evidence in the UK of more people struggling with their mental health and thinking about suicide, saying this is seen “through police call-outs and crisis helplines, as individuals turn to remote support where social support is currently unavailable”.

There has also been an increase in calls to the mental health advice line Breathing Space, the report says.

It warns: “While data on suicide rates during the pandemic is not yet available, the adverse effects on people with mental illness and on population mental health in general, are likely to be exacerbated by fear, self-isolation and physical distancing.”

The report is clear “suicide prevention is and should continue to be an integral part of Scotland’s Covid-19 pandemic public health response and recovery phases”.

As part of this, the group is calling on the Scottish Government to undertake enhanced monitoring of statistics on suicide and self-harm to identify emerging trends and groups at risk, to enable preventative action.

The report also urges ministers to act to restrict access to the most commonly used means of suicide.

The report states: “As Scotland faces the extraordinary challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic it is clear that

these are difficult and uncertain times for many people and it is highly likely the impacts of the pandemic on individual mental health and well-being will be felt for some time to come.

“There is global concern that the Covid-19 pandemic may increase suicide rates. It is critical that suicide prevention is a priority public health issue for Scotland.”

There were 784 suicides in Scotland in 2018.