THERE’S A NEW plan to ensure that people who’ve self-harmed are properly treated in hospital before it happens again or before they take their own life.

The HSE says that 33 specially trained nurses will be in emergency departments (ED) around the country to deliver the new programme.

Experts in the sector say that long-waits for patients who’ve self-harmed sometimes leads to them leaving hospital without seeing anyone, with potentially fatal consequences.

In 2014, there were 11,126 self-harm presentations to Irish hospitals and 459 deaths by suicide.

As well as dealing with the self-harm episode, the specialist nurse will be able to set-up aftercare appointments for patients and even involve family and friends if its deemed necessary.

The idea is to expedite access to mental health services once it’s established how severe a person’s problem is and to ultimately reduce repetitive self-harming.

Repetitive self-harming is known to be associated with an increased risk of completed suicide.

The programme was developed by the HSE in partnership with the College of Psychiatrists’ of Ireland. Its director Dr John Hillery believes the programme will undoubtedly help if it is adequately supported.

“It should make a huge difference if it’s given the right resources,” he says.

Usually a GP has to send the person off to the ED or maybe get an appointment with the local clinic as soon as possible, but it depends on where you are and what timeline is available and maybe you go to the ED and are there for hours.

Ultimately, this can prove to be a big problem.

“It’s something I would have experienced as a doctor and as someone people would talk to about it,” Dr Hillery explains.

People wait for two hours and then go home. In the worst case scenario you hear they unfortunately harm themselves further or take their own life. Someone who is in that much distress shouldn’t have to wait.

Part of the programme also provides for the training of staff who may be dealing with episodes of self-harm. Dr. Hillery notes that ensuring staff have the chance to complete this training will vital to the success of the programme.

The new National Clinical Programme on the the management of self-harm in Irish hospitals is part of the overall National Strategy to Reduce Suicide.

Helplines:

• Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
• Console  1800 247 247 – (suicide prevention, self-harm, bereavement)
• Aware 1890 303 302 (depression, anxiety)
• Pieta House 01 601 0000 or email mary@pieta.ie - (suicide, self-harm)
• Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)
• Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)

- Additional reporting by Michelle Hennessy

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