Malaga's Hospital El Clínico has launched an innovative programme called ContSui to strengthen suicide prevention. ContSui establishes direct connection between the emergency department that receives a patient and their GP.

Suicide has become a public health problem and its causes include a multitude of factors ranging from loneliness and mental illness to frustration and feelings of failure.

The Andalusian health service (Sas) has been improving its internal and external systems for years to pay special attention to this social issue, which claimed the lives of 168 people in Malaga in 2024 (the latest year for which data is available), 38 per cent more than in 2019.

ContSui is an immediate follow-up network the emergency department activates. It does not leave the patient until they are stable and receiving assistance from the GP and nurses at their local health centre.

The initiative is part of the strategic plan for mental health and addictions of Andalucía (PESMAA). It covers 1.2 million people.

El Clínico's mental health unit implemented the regional suicide prevention programme in March. It is a network of detection and early intervention within the hospital's emergency department. It ensures that the healthcare system will monitor a patient when risk is detected.

The aim is to offer a quick and proactive response, guaranteeing continuity of care from the moment doctors at the emergency department detect suicidal ideation or gestures until outpatient treatment.

A key feature of the programme lies in separate care pathways designed to strengthen protection for vulnerable groups, particularly minors.

The protocol sets maximum response times for care, depending on clinical assessment and the level of risk identified in each case.

The programme also introduces specialist mental health nurses who call patients before their medical appointments. This allows staff to assess the patient's condition in real time and ensures a secure transition from emergency care to primary care.

The system also triggers an automatic alert to the patient's GP and health centre nurse, ensuring all parts of the healthcare system work together in their follow-up.

The mental health unit highlights the qualitative improvement the programme brings. "It allows us to provide a fast and human response to one of the most pressing needs in today's society. Ensuring that people at risk are seen within the protocol deadlines strengthens our commitment to patient safety and the effectiveness of our care network," acting unit director psychiatrist Concepción López Arquillos and specialist nurse and care coordinator Antonio Reyes Taboada say.

In the years before the pandemic (2017-2019), suicide figures stood at 130, 134 and 122 respectively. The rise began in 2020, with 163 deaths, peaking in 2021 at 187, followed by another high in 2022 with 180 cases.

In 2023, the figure matched 2020, but in 2024 it rose again to 168 cases, nearly 38 per cent higher than in 2019.

If you or someone you know experiences anxiety, loneliness, fear, desperation or simply needs to unburden their problems to someone, call:

Telephone 024: the Spanish government's free 24-hour 365-day helpline run by the Red Cross. Real time telephone interpreting service for non-Spanish speakers.

Samaritans in Spain: Free helpline in English for anyone feeling desperate, anxious or alone: Freephone 900 525 100 between 10am and midnight.