British Medical Journal publishes letter by faculty researcher calling for action on work-related suicide

The letter has been published on behalf of a further 31 signatories from across academia, public life, charities and industry.

The British Medical Journal (BMJ) has published an open letter led by a researcher at the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures urging the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to include work-related suicides in its consultation on reportable workplace deaths and injuries.

Published as a BMJ rapid response and written jointly by Sarah Waters, Professor of French Studies at the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies, researchers, trade unionists, MPs, bereaved family members, charity leaders, business representatives and investors, the letter argues that recognising suicide as a potentially work-related death is an important step towards improving workplace safety and preventing avoidable deaths.

The letter highlights evidence suggesting that around 600 suicides each year in the UK may be work-related and says that current reporting arrangements fail to recognise the role that workplace pressures can play in contributing to psychological harm and suicide.

“An estimated 600 suicide deaths per year in the UK are work-related. Yet the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) continues to exclude suicide from reporting requirements, treating it as an exception in relation to every other work-related injury or death.

“This position is dangerously outdated. It ignores the changing demands of work and its impact on psychological harm or despair. It undermines the HSE’s core mission to keep workplaces safe. It places the UK sharply at odds with health and safety systems in other countries.”

The authors point to recent changes in Australia and New Zealand, where work-related suicides have been incorporated effectively into workplace incident reporting systems.

Alongside Professor Waters, the letter is co-authored by Professor Martin McKee, former President of the British Medical Association; Professor Julia Waters (University of Reading), sister of headteacher Ruth Perry who died by suicide in 2023; Ged Flynn, Chief Executive of PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide; and Rory O’Neill, Occupational Advisor to the International Trade Union Confederation. The authors write on behalf of a further 27 signatories from across academia, public life, charities and industry. The full list of signatories is included below.

The publication forms part of Professor Waters’ ongoing research on work-related suicide and workplace harm, which includes a Wellcome Trust-funded project running until 2029. In 2024 Professor Waters won the award for Outstanding Paper in the 2024 Emerald Literati Awards for her article 'Ofsted Suicides: Who is Responsible for Suicide Prevention?'.

Read the BMJ open letter: Open Letter to the Health and Safety Executive on work-related suicides.

1. Professor Sarah Waters, Researcher on work-related suicide, University of Leeds

2. Ged Flynn, Chief Executive, Papyrus

3. Marie Monaghan, Hazards Campaign Lead

4. Professor Julia Waters, sister of Ruth Perry

5. Professor Ann John, Director National Centre for Suicide Prevention and Self-harm Research, Swansea University. Chair of the BSI Suicide in the Workplace standard (BS 30480) Committee

6. Hilda Palmer, co-founder of FACK (Families Against Corporate Killing)

7. Professor Martin McKee, Professor of European Public Health and former President of British Medical Association

8. Rory O’Neill, Occupational Advisor, International Trade Union Confederation, Chief Editor Hazards Magazine

9. Ian Lavery MP, Chair APPG Occupational Safety and Health

10. Marcus Long, Chief Executive IIOA, instigator of BSI Suicide in the Workplace standard (BS 30480)

11. Dr Nina Smith, researcher in suicide prevention in educational settings, Edge Hill University

12. Steve Tombs, Emeritus Professor, Department of Social Policy and Criminology, The Open University

13. Heather Beach, Founder, Healthy Work Company

14. Dr Quintin Rayer, Chartered Wealth Manager, Head of Research and Ethical Investing, P1 Investment Services

15. Liz Twist MP Chair APPG Suicide and Self-harm Prevention

16. Peter J Kelly, Director and Founder, Being Real, former senior psychologist, HSE

17. Seamus Logan MP for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East

18. Kim Johnson MP for Liverpool Riverside

19. Deborah Coles, INQUEST, Executive Director

20. Suresh Mistry, Head of Sustainability and Mike Sell, Head of Emerging Markets, Alquity Investment Management Limited

21. Dr Neil Maughan, Health and Safety Officer, UCU University of Leeds

22. Sinéad Mc Brearty, CEO, Education Support

23. Professor Neil Greenberg, President, Society of Occupational Medicine

24. Steve Phillip – Founder and Director at The Jordan Legacy CIC

25. Paul Vittles, Towards Zero Suicide

26. Amy Browne, Deputy Head of Sustainability, Churches, Charities and Local Authorities (CCLA) Investment Management Limited

27. Jon Wallace, Investment Manager, Jupiter

28. Kate Hewitt,  Senior ESG and Impact Specialist, Montanaro Asset Management

29. Lucinda Riches, CBE, Chairman of Greencoat UK Wind PLC

30. Mary Jane Roberts, CEO, Doctors in Distress

31. Ross Ford, Senior Business Development Manager, UK & Ireland, Federated Hermes Limited

32. Mike Palmer, Andy Airey and Tim Owen, 3 Dads Walking.