Sharp rise in self-harm reported by mental health units in England

[Northerner]

The number of times patients have self-harmed while in mental health units has almost doubled in five years, prompting concern that services are struggling to help those in their care.

Data obtained by the Guardian from nearly half of NHS mental health trusts across England show that the number of incidents of self-harm among inpatients shot up from 15,489 to 28,585 between 2013 and 2017. During that period, the number of patients who reportedly self-harmed increased from 4,432 to 6,326.

Experts said the rise was extremely concerning as it showed that services were struggling to provide the therapeutic support needed, though it was also noted that the increase could indicate better reporting of incidents.

Luciana Berger MP, the president of the Labour Campaign for Mental Health, said the rise was “extremely worrying”, adding: “Too many patients do not have access to the crucial contact and therapeutic support that they need to ensure their wellbeing, even when in inpatient care.”

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/apr/01/sharp-rise-self-harm-nhs-mental-health-units-england

 

[mikeyB]

Even well staffed, you can’t watch everyone every minute of the day. It’s physically impossible. When I worked in a perfectly adequately staffed psychiatric hospital, while having a staff discussion with the consultant about all the patients, one female patient took the opportunity to nip to the toilets and hang herself. The nurse left in charge of the ward went to check the toilets after about 10-15 minutes. She was distraught, but you can’t follow everyone into the toilet, specially as no one on the ward was on suicide watch. These things happen in the best run places.

 

[Ralph-YK]

the number of incidents of self-harm among inpatients shot up from 15,489 to 28,585 between 2013 and 2017. During that period, the number of patients who reportedly self-harmed increased from 4,432 to 6,326.

I'm having trouble understanding this bit. Seems to me it's actually giving two diffent sets of figures for the number of incidents.

 

[Northerner]

Even well staffed, you can’t watch everyone every minute of the day. It’s physically impossible. When I worked in a perfectly adequately staffed psychiatric hospital, while having a staff discussion with the consultant about all the patients, one female patient took the opportunity to nip to the toilets and hang herself. The nurse left in charge of the ward went to check the toilets after about 10-15 minutes. She was distraught, but you can’t follow everyone into the toilet, specially as no one on the ward was on suicide watch. These things happen in the best run places.

It's the increase in rate that is particularly disturbing, as with so many things these days, like homelessness