Protesters demand more mental health support amid suicide rate concerns
BBCCampaigners are calling for better mental health support on the Isle of Man amid concerns about the island's suicide rate.
About 30 people attended the protest outside Tynwald, organised by ManxPACT.
A government committee report published in July found that between 2021 and 2023, the island's suicide rate averaged 13.9 deaths per 100,000 people each year, compared with 10.7 in England.
The group wants mental health funding to match UK levels and a community hub in each region. It is also calling for a duty clinician scheme, so a qualified professional is always available to assess people who contact the crisis team.
Manx Care has been approached for comment.
Speaking following the protest on Tuesday, ManxPACT founder Juan Moore said the island lost about 12 people a year to suicide.
"That's one a month. For a small island, it's horrendous," he said.
Some 9% of the Isle of Man's health budget went on mental health services, compared with 13.8% in the UK.
"The crisis team is in crisis itself," Moore said.
"People are often in crisis, and they can't get any help."
He said some people had been told they were "not suicidal enough" when they reached out to get help.
Jesse Quirk was sent to a mental health hospital in Sheffield last year because inpatient care was not available on the island.
"Having to live so far away from home is quite difficult, and it shouldn't have to be done," they said.
They said they were told they would get more support in Sheffield but then waited four months in a different hospital only to be told staff could not help.
Jesse said friends and family could only do so much.
"That gap needs to be filled by the government in our country," they said.
Another protester, who asked not to be named, said too many people were being turned away.
"You're sometimes either too bad for one service or not bad enough for another service," he said.
"People need to be listened to."
His mother said she had struggled with her mental health for many years.
"I feel like I'm stuck in a cycle of referrals; there's definitely not enough hands-on support," she said.
Jillian Lewis-Carran said she was in "a very, very dark place" 15 to 20 years ago and felt support was not there for her.
"I was on my own," she said.
She said many people in that position felt it was not worth trying, as she once had, adding: "But here I am. I survived it."
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, help and support is available via BBC Action Line.
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