More than 6000 suicides are registered in the UK per year.1

BSI will soon be publishing the first draft of BS 9988 for public consultation, with the finalized standard to follow in Autumn 2025.

Register your interest and opt-in to email updates to be notified when the public consultation period opens.

What is BS 9988?

BS 9988 is the UK’s first standard dedicated to suicide prevention. It will provide comprehensive guidelines to support organizations in developing, implementing, and monitoring effective suicide prevention strategies.

The standard aims to bring together best practices, ensure consistency, and help organizations contribute to reducing suicide rates.

It will be freely available and accessible to all types and sizes of organizations, and it will:

  • Provide guidance for putting in place systematic, appropriate prevention and intervention measures and supporting people affected by suicide
  • Highlight situations where specialist guidance may be needed
  • Offer recommendations on sensitive and responsible communications, including with bereaved people and those dealing with grief
  • Include case studies and examples to illustrate a variety of measures that may be deployed

What is the public consultation period?

As soon as a first draft is ready, it undergoes public consultation when it is made available for anyone to view and comment. Every public comment BSI receives on a draft standard is considered by the relevant panel of experts and BSI staff. Following public consultation and before a draft can become a published standard, it undergoes further edits until the panel is satisfied with its quality and only when consensus has been reached.

The draft will be available for public consultation in Spring 2025. Learn more about the standard and public consultation period in the video below. 

What am I registering my interest for?

  • Receive a notification when the draft is available for public consultation, giving you the opportunity to provide valuable input
  • Stay informed with updates on the standard’s development progress
  • Be among the first to access the final version of BS 9988 once it is published
  • Continue to receive supporting materials that will help you understand and implement the standard effectively

Complete the form to register your interest and ensure you opt-in to receive updates via email.

1 Data related to: Suicides in England and Wales, Office for National Statistics; Suicide Deaths, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency; Probable Suicides, National Records of Scotland.
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