Publish date: 10 September 2024
New NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidelines were published in September 2022 around the prevention and management of suicide and self-harm [NG225]. At the time of publication, many Mental Health Trust’s around the country were engaging in practices that were not in line with NICE guidelines around risk assessment i.e. using global risk stratification (rating risk as low/medium or high), including AWP.
Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership (AWP) NHS Trust wanted to respond to the new guidelines without delay, to ensure we were practicing in line with best evidence as soon as possible.
AWP was one of three trusts that took the bold move to adopt a new approach before refreshed national guidance was published, to adopt and implement these new NICE guidelines to ensure the safety of our service users, families and communities. Our new approach to ‘safety assessment’ was designed in collaboration with people with lived experience, our staff and other stakeholders.
The AWP Suicide Prevention Lead, Natasha Bryant, along with Sarah Jones, Director of Nursing and Quality, Peter Danko, IT Change Manager and Eloise Willets, Project Manager also from AWP presented our new approach at a national webinar organised by NHS England, which resulted in invitations to join the national writing group to develop new guidance for all Mental Health Trust’s. The National Confidential Inquiry have also asked to share, on their website, the AWP work on this project as an example of excellence and innovation. Consultations are also being held with many other Trust’s nationwide who have shown an interest in our new approach.
Congratulations to the Safety Assessment Project Team for their hard work and initiative in achieving this important and valuable work.
