Fewer than one in three people admitted to a Danish hospital for a suicide attempt received follow-up contact with psychiatric services in the first week after discharge in 2024. This severe shortcoming is revealed in a new monitoring report from the Danish Health Authority. The data exposes a critical gap in a system designed to prevent repeated self-harm.
Julie Hagstrøm, a department head at the Health Authority, called the numbers serious. She stated there is a need to elevate focus in this area. In a press release, Hagstrøm explained that individuals who have attempted suicide or have been psychiatric inpatients are at high risk of taking their own lives. Research shows the risk is particularly high in the first week after discharge from a psychiatric hospital. Therefore, it is crucial that psychiatry follows up, she said.
A System Under Strain
The problem is even more acute for patients discharged directly from psychiatric care. Only half of those received any follow-up within that crucial first week. The consequences of these systemic failures are measured in lives. In 2024, 35 people died by suicide in the first week after being discharged from psychiatric care. The same year saw 529 suicide attempts in that immediate post-discharge period. These figures also come from the Health Authority's monitoring report.
| Patient Group | Follow-up Rate (1st Week) | Key Consequence (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Discharged after suicide attempt (general hospital) | < 33% | Data not specified in report |
| Discharged from psychiatric care | 50% | 35 suicides, 529 attempts |
The report is part of an action plan connected to the government's 10-year plan for psychiatry. The purpose of the action plan is to prevent suicide and suicide attempts. Funds have been allocated specifically to ensure follow-up contact for people who have been hospitalized for a suicide attempt or in psychiatric care.
National Goals and a Grim Reality
We have great expectations that the significant efforts in the coming years to prevent suicide will lead to fewer people taking their own lives, Hagstrøm said. She referenced both the suicide prevention action plan and the broader 10-year psychiatry plan. This hope contrasts with recent national and international trends. In 2015, the UN adopted a global goal to reduce the suicide rate by 33 percent by 2030. Since then, Denmark's suicide rate has fallen by only four percent.
The latest annual figures underscore the scale of the challenge. In 2024, 580 people died by suicide in Denmark. Another 2,389 people attempted to take their own lives. Officials note the attempt figure carries significant uncertainty. It only includes attempts registered through hospital contact, meaning the true number is likely higher.
The Human Cost of Policy Gaps
The statistics represent a profound policy failure with direct human impact. The first week after leaving hospital care is a period of extreme vulnerability. Patients transition from a structured, supervised environment back into their daily lives. Without professional support, they can be overwhelmed by the same crises that led to their hospitalization. The lack of consistent follow-up creates a dangerous void. It places the burden on individuals and families when the healthcare system's responsibility should be clearest.
The government's 10-year plan and the specific suicide prevention action plan acknowledge this problem on paper. The allocated funds signal an intent to build a stronger safety net. However, the 2024 monitoring data reveals a stark implementation gap. The plan's objectives have not yet translated into reliable, standard practice across the country's health regions. This inconsistency means a patient's access to life-saving follow-up can depend on geographic location and hospital resources.
A Call for Accountability and Change
Julie Hagstrøm's characterization of the numbers as serious is an understatement for affected families and patient advocates. The call to lift the area suggests a need for greater prioritization, funding, and systemic accountability. The monitoring report itself is a tool for transparency. By publicly tracking these follow-up rates, the Health Authority creates a benchmark for improvement. The goal is clear. Every region and hospital must establish fail-safe pathways to ensure no patient leaves without a confirmed plan for immediate psychiatric contact.
Denmark's welfare model is built on principles of care and support. This failure in the mental health system challenges that self-image. The four percent reduction in the suicide rate since 2015 shows how stubborn this problem is. It will require more than plans and allocated funds. It demands a cultural shift within the healthcare system to treat psychiatric follow-up with the same urgency as physical health recovery. The lives of hundreds of Danes each year depend on closing this gap between policy and practice. If you are having thoughts of suicide, you can get help from the Livslinien crisis hotline at 70 20 12 01.