Background. The opportunity to study district-wide educational interventions on suicide rates is rarely available. In 1997, the authors carried out a district-wide training programme for primary care, accident and emergency, and mental health workers (47% of eligible staff trained), and demonstrated improvements in skills, attitude and confidence among the recipients of the training.

Method. Suicide rates (including definite suicides and undetermined deaths) and population statistics were collected for a district and region of England from official sources from 1993–2001. A before-and-after (1994–1996 and 1998–2000) training intervention analysis was conducted on suicide rates.

Results. The suicide rate in 1994–1996 was 8·8 per 100000 before our educational intervention and unchanged at 8·6 per 100000 in 1998–2000 after it (p=0·783).

Conclusion. Brief educational interventions to improve the assessment and management of suicide for front-line health professionals in contact with suicidal patients may not be sufficient to reduce the population suicide rate.