Psycho-Social Intervention Following Attempted Suicide: is There a Case for Better Services?

Deliberate self-harm services in the UK are frequently unplanned & delivered without a coherent view of their function. It is argued that this state of affairs can be improved by aiming interventions at groups of patients with clearly defined needs, using techniques of known effectiveness which are delivered by specific deliberate self-harm teams. Health service planners have a duty to develop such services, to monitor deliberate self-harm in their area & to ensure evaluation of their services.