Citation

Halliday E, Mackenzie M, Maxwell M, McCollam A, McDaid D, McLean J, Platt S, Woodhouse A. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 110.

Affiliation

NHS Health Scotland, Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, EH12 5EZ Edinburgh, Scotland. Emma.Halliday@health.scot.nhs.uk.

Copyright

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

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16964058

Abstract

Choose Life, the national strategy and action plan to prevent suicide in Scotland launched in December 2002, addresses only those aspects of [non-fatal] self-harming behaviour which might be considered as an indication of risk of suicide. It is recognised that there are other dimensions and manifestations of deliberate self-harm [DSH] that are not covered within the strategy's scope (page 12). In implementing the strategy, however, it is evident that there is considerable uncertainty, both nationally and locally, about how to operationalise the commitment to tackle high risk DSH. The presentation is based primarily upon findings from qualitative case studies of eight local areas in Scotland, undertaken as part of the national evaluation of Choose Life (phase 1). Different theoretical understandings of DSH and varying attitudes towards the place of deliberate self-harm in Choose Life's implementation are discussed. Difficulties in drawing a clear distinction between high risk and low risk DSH are identified. The presentation illustrates the challenges of tackling DSH within the context of a suicide prevention strategy. It will raise several issues of relevance to policy and practice development in Scotland and in other countries which seek to devise an effective response to adverse trends in suicidal behaviour.

Language: en