Deliberate Self-Harm Patients who Leave the Accident and Emergency Department Without a Psychiatric Assessment: a Neglected Population at Risk of Suicide

The characteristics & outcome of deliberate self-harm (DSH) patients discharged directly from accident & emergeny (A&E) departments over a 2-year period were investigated, comparing those who had a psychiatric assessment with those who did not. The authors found that 58.9% patients did not have a psychiatric assessment. Nonassessed patients were more likely to have a past history of DSH, to be in the 20-34 year age group, & to have exhibited difficult behaviour in the A&E department. The risk for suicide in these patients is discussed. (25 refs)