Introduction: To achieve good quality of health care services to patients with suicidal behaviour, we need updated knowledge about the attitudes, skills and competence of health care personnel.Attitudes are feelings, thoughts and knowledge that influence behaviour and thus the care given in the clinical setting.Background: Education, competence and attitudes should be seen in the same context.Attitudes and self perceived management skills should therefore be examined.Patients with suicidal behaviour meet health care professionals at all levels in the health care system.Previous research shows that treating patients with suicidal behaviour can lead to frustration, hopelessness and irritation among professionals.Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey from a random selection of all registered physicians in medical and psychiatric departments and general practice in Norway (n=750) with one third from each group.40 % (n=302) answered a postal questionnaire during spring 2010.The Understanding of Suicidal Patients scale (USP) was used.It consists of 11 items scored on a five-point scale (1-I agree completely-5-I disagree completely) and indicates willingness and understanding of suicide attempters.The total score range from 11 =completely positive up to 55 =completely negative.Further, we asked whether they had participated in courses in suicidology and were interested in further education.Self-perceived irritation, empathy, engagement and competence to treat patients with suicidal behaviour were measured on a five-point scale from 1-very low up to 5-very high.The internists were significantly younger than the other groups.The proportion of females was 43 % (n=110).Results: The USP score was 20.2 (95 % Cl 19.6-20.8).Among physicians in internal medicine n=103) 22.6 (95 % Cl 21.5-23.6), General Practice (n=84) 19.3 (95 % Cl18.3-20.3), psychiatry (n=95) 19.0 (95 % Cl 17.5-19.4) (p<0.001).Females had lower scores on the USP than males: 19.1 vs.21.0 (p =0.03).Those who had attended some kind of training (36.5%) had more positive attitudes (USP 18.9 vs.21.3 (p< 0.001).In total, 72.7 % were moderately to very interested in further education.This was significantly different between the three groups (p<0.001), where psychiatrists were most (3.5)-and internists least (2.6) interested.The self-perceived competence to treat suicide attempters among internists was 2.4 (95 % Cl 2.3-2.5), general practitioners 3.2 (95 % Cl 3.1-3.4) and psychiatrists 4.1 (95 % Cl 4-4.2) (p<0.001).Corresponding to the latter, psychiatrists were also most engaged in suicide attempters 4.2 vs.2.8.(p<0.001).There were no significant difference according to irritation and empathy.Females reported more engagement, more empathy and more competence than males.Conclusion: In general, the attitudes are positive.The majodty of physicians are interested in more training in suicidology.The results are in line with previous research where personnel working in psychiatric departments and females are more positive.