ArticleBMJ open2021
'Relieved to be seen'-patient and carer experiences of psychosocial assessment in the emergency department following self-harm: qualitative analysis of 102 free-text survey responses.
Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 55 citations in OpenAlex.
- Psychosocial interventions for self-harm and suicide prevention in liaison psychiatry: an overview of systematic reviews.BMC psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Accessing Care and Treatment in the Emergency Department for Self-Harm and Suicidal Ideation: A Qualitative Study of Service Users' Experiences.International journal of mental health nursing · 2026Article
- Article
- Suicidal and self-harm behaviors in emergency psychiatry: bridging risk assessment and clinical decision-making.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Review
- Exploring How Intent of Self-Harm Affects Trainee Healthcare Practitioners' Views, Attitudes and Clinical Decision-Making in Northwest England: A Qualitative Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Interventions for self-harm and suicidality in paediatric emergency departments: a meta-review.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2025Review
- Specialist mental health crisis centres in England: a step forward or a stumble in the dark?BJPsych open · 2025Article
- Health and social care professionals' awareness and implementation of NICE guidelines on self-harm: a rapid review of the literature.BMJ open · 2025Review
- Safe spaces as an alternative to the emergency department for suicidal distress: exploring guests' experiences.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Enhanced psychosocial assessment and rapid follow-up care for people presenting to emergency departments with self-harm and/or suicidal ideation: the Assured feasibility study and internal pilot trial.Pilot and feasibility studies · 2025Article
- A qualitative investigation of crisis cafés in England: their role, implementation, and accessibility.BMC health services research · 2024Article
- What are the barriers and enablers to trauma-informed emergency departments? A scoping review protocol.BMJ open · 2024Article
- Global prevalence of psychosocial assessment following hospital-treated self-harm: systematic review and meta-analysis.BJPsych open · 2024Review
- Article
- Evaluation of a national clinical programme for the management of self-harm in hospital emergency departments: impact on patient outcomes and the provision of care.BMC psychiatry · 2023Article
- An Ideal-Type Analysis of People's Perspectives on Care Plans Received from the Emergency Department following a Self-Harm or Suicidal Crisis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Accessing psychological therapies following self-harm: qualitative survey of patient experiences and views on improving practice.BJPsych open · 2023Article
- Article
- "Treat Them Like a Human Being…They are Somebody's Somebody": Providers' Perspectives on Treating Patients in the Emergency Department After Self-Injurious Behavior.Community mental health journal · 2023Article
- Developing a consensus of recovery from suicidal ideations and behaviours: A Delphi study with experts by experience.PloS one · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesWe sought to explore patient and carer experiences of psychosocial assessments following presentations to hospital after self-harm.
designThematic analysis of free-text responses to an open-ended online survey.
settingBetween March and November 2019, we recruited 88 patients (82% women) and 14 carers aged ≥18 years from 16 English mental health trusts, community organisations, and via social media.
resultsPsychosocial assessments were experienced as helpful on some occasions but harmful on others. Participants felt better, less suicidal and less likely to repeat self-harm after good-quality compassionate and supportive assessments. However, negative experiences during the assessment pathway were common and, in some cases, contributed to greater distress, less engagement and further self-harm. Participants reported receiving negative and stigmatising comments about their injuries. Others reported that they were refused medical care or an anaesthetic. Stigmatising attitudes among some mental health staff centred on preconceived ideas over self-harm as a 'behavioural issue', inappropriate use of services and psychiatric diagnosis.
conclusionOur findings highlight important patient experiences that can inform service provision and they demonstrate the value of involving patients/carers throughout the research process. Psychosocial assessments can be beneficial when empathetic and collaborative but less helpful when overly standardised, lacking in compassion and waiting times are unduly long. Patient views are essential to inform practice, particularly given the rapidly changing service context during and after the COVID-19 emergency.
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