Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39980070›Full record

ArticlePilot and feasibility studies2025

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.

Sally O'Keeffe, Mimi Suzuki, Mary Ryan, Stefan Priebe, Richard Byng, Alan Simpson, Vera Araújo-Soares, Rikke Albert, Renata Fialho, Neil Walker and 2 more

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Article in Pilot and feasibility studies, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Sally O'KeeffeNewcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK. Sally.O'Keeffe@newcastle.ac.uk.
Mimi SuzukiCity St George's, University of London, London, UK.
Mary RyanCity St George's, University of London, London, UK.
Stefan PriebeQueen Mary, University of London, London, UK.
Richard ByngUniversity of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK.
Alan SimpsonKing's College London, London, UK.
Vera Araújo-SoaresHeidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Rikke AlbertEast London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Renata FialhoSurrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust, Surrey, UK.
Neil WalkerQueen Mary, University of London, London, UK.
Alexandra Elissavet BakouCity St George's, University of London, London, UK.
Rose McCabeCity St George's, University of London, London, UK.

Funding

Programme Grants for Applied Research RP-PG-0617-20004
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPatients presenting to emergency departments (EDs) following an episode of self-harm are at risk of future suicide. There are few evidence-based interventions for self-harm in the ED context in England. This study sought to assess the feasibility of a trial of a newly developed brief psychological intervention, the Assured approach. This approach consisted of an enhanced psychosocial assessment, collaborative safety planning and three rapid solution-focussed follow-up sessions. Phase 1 was a feasibility study, and phase 2 was an internal pilot trial of a cluster randomised controlled trial to assess whether progression to a full-scale trial was warranted.

methodsIn phase 1, patients were recruited and allocated to a study arm, the Assured arm or treatment as usual, depending on the allocation of their assessing practitioner, in four EDs in England. They were invited to research assessments after consent and at 6 months. Phase 2 was the internal pilot of a cluster randomised controlled trial conducted in six EDs in England. Practitioners were randomised to deliver the Assured approach or treatment as usual. Patients were recruited and allocated to a study arm depending on the allocation of their assessing practitioner. They were invited to complete research assessments after consent and at 3, 9 and 18 months.

resultsSixty-one patients were recruited into the Assured (n = 46) and treatment as usual (n = 15) arms in phase 1. Findings showed we could recruit and follow up patients over a 6-month period. The research procedures were acceptable to patients and practitioners, and the intervention was delivered with acceptable fidelity to the intervention manual. Forty-seven patients were recruited into the phase 2 internal pilot trial, falling substantially short of our target of 491 in the stop-go criteria, indicating that the trial was not feasible in its current design.

conclusionThe feasibility study indicated that both the intervention and research processes were acceptable. However, the internal pilot trial revealed substantial challenges in recruiting patients and delivering the intervention in the ED context. Adaptations to the trial design and intervention are proposed to enable the Assured approach to be tested in a future trial, to improve care for this underserved population.

trial registrationISRCTN16003313, 04/02/2020; ISRCTN13472559, 18/11/2021.

Indexed as

Emergency departmentFeasibility studyLiaison psychiatrySelf-harmSuicide

Identifiers

PMID39980070
PMCPMC11841326

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.