Citation

Owens C, Aitken PJ. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 112.

Affiliation

Peninsula Medical School, Wonford House, Dryden Road, EX2 5AF Exeter, UK. c.v.owens@exeter.ac.uk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Facultas Universitatis Studiorum Zagrabiensis - Danube Symposion of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16964064

Abstract

Research indicates that impeding suicide attempts at high-risk locations, such as railways and bridges, can be effective in saving lives. One of the key actions recommended by the National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England is for local services to identify their own suicide 'hotspots' and to take steps to improve safety at these locations. Local inter-agency planning is necessary to identify and manage risk at particular sites. We carried out this exercise within our own locality, a large county in the SW of England served by a single secondary mental health service provider. The aim was to develop a guide that would assist local services in other areas in identifying and managing their own suicide hotspots. In this paper, we outline the process of engaging key stakeholders and partner agencies, collecting and analysing data in relation to local suicide hotspots, assessing risks at particular locations, drawing up and implementing action plans and evaluating their effectiveness.

Language: en