Citation

Bywaters J, Foster K. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 103-104.

Affiliation

The National Institute for Mental Health in England, Department of Health, Room 8E40, Quarry House, Quarry Hill, LS2 7UE, Leeds, England. keith.foster@dh.gsi.gov.uk.

Copyright

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

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16964044

Abstract

England's first national suicide prevention strategy was launched in September 2002 with the aim of reducing the death rate from suicide and undetermined injury by at least 20% by the year 2010. The strategy sets out a number of specific goals and objectives based on strong, published evidence and is subject to regular review and evaluation. Recent initiatives include: - removal of non-collapsible bed or shower curtain rails from all psychiatric in-patient units. This is subject to continuous monitoring at local level through regular audits of ward areas as well as at national level through the work of the National Confidential Inquiry (NCI). - 12 points to a safer service for mental health in-patient units as recommended by the NCI. The research programme at the NCI will report on progress on all its recommendations as part of its next 5-year report in October 2006. [The NCI receives data on all suicides and extracts information on those that were in contact with mental health services in the 12 months prior to death. In such cases, questionnaires are distributed to the consultant responsible for the treatment of the individual. This information enables the NCI to determine the circumstances of the suicide and base its recommendations on such information.] - mental health promotion pilots aimed at young men developed in three sites in England. These pilots have been evaluated and a report will be published in June. [The evaluation consisted of semi structured interviews with young men involved in the project; interviews and questionnaire completed by those involved in the project training sessions, feedback from all external partners and stakeholders; number of hits on websites, enquiries received etc] - reduction in pack sizes of paracetamol and aspirin. These measures have been evaluated and the results indicating a fall in deaths from overdose have been published in journals. [Evaluation consisted of data obtained from a number of liver units and from five general hospitals and UK data on sales of analgesics obtained.] - withdrawal of the painkiller co-proxamol in the light of longstanding concerns about safety and efficacy and more recent data concerning safety in overdose. Will be subject to evaluation. An annual report is published setting out the achievements and further actions to be taken in the medium and longer term.

Language: en