More than 1,700 patients a year who present to accident and emergency units after deliberately harming themselves do not receive any form of psychiatric assessment even though they are at a high risk of suicide, new figures show. Carl O'Brien, Social Affairs Correspondent, reports.
Findings from a study to be released by the National Suicide Research Foundation next week will focus attention on alarming gaps in the health system's ability to provide assessments and aftercare for people in danger of taking their own lives.
Hospitals record around 11,000 cases of self-harm each year, while the number of people who die by suicide is in the region of 500.
The foundation's study, based on data collected from 24 hospitals between January and March of last year, found that 16 per cent of patients who harmed themselves were not assessed or did not receive aftercare.
Of those using potentially lethal methods to injure themselves, (such as drowning or hanging), there was no evidence of assessment in 26 per cent of cases. The figure rose to 45 per cent for those who cut themselves.
Dr Ella Arensman, director of research at the National Suicide Research Foundation, expressed concern at the findings.
"They are patients who are at a much higher risk of suicide than the rest of the population," Dr Arensman said. "Once a person has engaged in self-harm, it becomes a very important risk factor for subsequent self-harm and suicide. If a person is not immediately assessed, the risk becomes even higher."
She said the results indicated the need for standardised assessment of patients who deliberately harm themselves.
The findings will be discussed at the world congress of the International Association for Suicide Prevention in Killarney next week.
Other research due to be published shortly will show the highest rates of hospital-treated deliberate self-harm in Ireland are in deprived urban areas.
While deprivation was strongly linked to rates of self-harm in cities, social fragmentation (such as a person living on their own) was a stronger factor in rural areas.
Other research due to be presented will show that rates of self-harm are highest among those aged 15 to 19.
• Helplines are available for people seeking support or help, including the Samaritans (1850 60 90 90)and Aware (1890 30 33 02).