General Hospital Management of Suicide Attempters (IN: The International Handbook of Suicide and Attempted Suicide, edited by K Hawton & K van Heeringen)

This chapter describes the important aspects of the clinical care of deliberate self-harm patients in the general hospital, including management in the emergency department, medical care & psychiatric assessment, & attention to the risk of further suicidal behaviour in the general hospital. A structured assessment procedure is presented. The issue of multidisciplinary staffing of services for these patients is addressed & a model for service presented. It is concluded that provision of good quality general hospital care for suicide attempters is a key element in any local or national suicide prevention policy. (57 refs.)