Craig Hoy MSP, a Scottish Shadow Health Minister, is calling on the Scottish Government to respond to growing concerns about a mental health and suicide crisis emerging in Scotland’s farming and gamekeeping communities.
Mr Hoy asked the SNP Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care Kevin Stewart: “Will Mr Stewart commit to a specific suicide prevention plan for gamekeepers, and will he support the British Association for Shooting and Conservation’s proposal for a Gamekeepers Taskforce to better understand the significant mental health challenges faced by them?”
In response to Mr Hoy’s question, Mr Stewart stated: “We are going to look at different sectors. We recognise that suicide is more prevalent in certain work groups, and I know that there has been a fair amount of work on these issues by the likes of Support and MIND Scotland.
“My mind is not closed to any suggestion around about these particular issues.
“What I would say to Mr Hoy and other colleagues is that we don’t want to fragment things too much in terms of our approach, but at the same time I am more than willing to look at anything that we need to do to create better protections and safeguards for sectors, whatever they may be, and I’d be happy to speak to Mr Hoy further on this issue if he wants.”
Hoy commented: “I am pleased that the Minister is willing to discuss these crucial matters with me, which I am pursuing as a matter of urgency.
“There is clear consensus amongst relevant third sector bodies that substantial work is needed to face down challenges associated with rural mental health, with farmer and gamekeepers mental health being at a crisis point.”
Peter Clark, BASC Scotland public affairs manager said: “Gamekeepers’ and rural workers’ abuse is widespread in rural parts of Scotland. Often the online abuse, coupled with remoteness and social isolation can lead to people experiencing more pronounced mental health challenges.
“BASC has long argued we need a Gamekeepers’ Taskforce to sharpen the Scottish Government’s focus on better rural mental health provision.
“We are grateful to Craig Hoy MSP for raising this important matter on behalf of his rural constituents and we look forward to meeting with the Minister for the Environment in due course, as to how we advance the progress of a taskforce.”
Mr Hoy’s call came after he organised a Cross-Party Roundtable on rural mental health earlier this year which identified significant concerns about a lack of adequate mental health support for farmers and gamekeepers in Scotland.
The roundtable was attended by representatives from third sector organisations such as the National Farmers Union of Scotland, MIND Scotland, the Countryside Alliance and the Mental Health Foundation Scotland.
According to a survey by the Farm Safety Foundation in 2021, 88% of farmers in the UK under the age of 40 believe that mental health is the single biggest hidden problem faced by farmers today.
Data from the Office for National Statistics from 2018 has indicated that more than one agricultural worker commits suicide each week in the UK.
Suicide rates amongst farmers are higher than most other professions in Scotland, with farmers being seven times more likely to commit suicide than those working in customer facing roles.
Suicide rates amongst agricultural workers is also higher in Scotland compared to elsewhere in the UK.
During Mr Hoy’s roundtable, particular concerns were noted in relation to gamekeepers’ mental health due to concerns that reporting mental health issues may lead to a loss of a firearms licence.
Gamekeepers’ jobs often include ‘tied houses’, which means that their job is tied into their housing lease. There are concerns about reporting mental health issues within the community due to a fear that it will result in the loss of a firearms licence, resulting in a loss of employment and property.
The roundtable noted effective messaging by Police Scotland urging Gamekeepers with mental health concerns to come forward about their mental health as they will only revoke a fire arms licence after a full review which prioritises public safety and the wellbeing of gamekeepers. The roundtable did however note that more work was needed to improve messaging by lawmakers, GPs, Government and within farming communities.
Anyone working in Scotland’s farming and rural industries can access help from rural charity RSABI. They operate a helpline on 0300 111 4166.
