The number of reported suicides of people under the care of Medway’s mental health trust has tripled in the last year, new figures have shown.

Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust reported nine proven or suspected suicides to the National Patient Safety Agency, which is responsible for monitoring patient safety in the NHS, in 2015/2016; the previous year there had only been three reported.

A KMPT spokesman said: “Over the past year we have improved our reporting procedures by moving from a paper-based to a computerised system.

“In addition we have enhanced our safeguarding procedures and revised our own internal reviews of serious incidents.

“It is essential we continue to carefully monitor any serious incident to ensure lessons are learned and action is taken where needed.”

Including the suicides, KMPT reported a total of 23 serious untowards incidents (SUI) in 2015/2016, more than double the nine reported in 2014/2015.

These incidents included three attempts at self-harm, two uses of alcohol or drugs, two unwitnessed falls while standing up or sitting down, which included fainting, two falls while walking unassisted and two delays in transfer.

There were also two unexpected deaths which are still being investigated.

In 2014/2015 there was one delay in transfer, one illicit use of drugs, one incident of physical abuse, assault or violence, one fall on level ground, three suicides and two unexpected or unexplained deaths.

KMPT provides a range of services including substance misuse, mental health, learning disabilities and dementia services across the county.

It’s services in Medway include Ruby Ward at Medway Maritime Hospital which has 14 beds for male and female patients over 65 years of age; the rehabilitation unit at Newhaven Lodge, Gillingham, with eight beds for adults under 65; and the Crisis Hostel on Park Avenue, Gillingham, which has five beds for female patients suffering from personality disorder.

The trust also provides liaison psychiatric services in Medway Foundation Trust and community mental health services in a number of other Medway locations.

KMPT was responsible for A Block at Medway Maritime Hospital which closed in 2014 and Emerald ward which they moved to Maidstone in June 2015.