SELF HARM AND SUICIDALITY: AN AUDIT OF FOLLOW-UP IN PRIMARY CARE

Deliberate self harm is the strongest predictor of completed suicide. Primary care is often the entry point for those presenting with self harm and suicidality and so the primary care follow-up of such patients should include risk assessment for repeated self harm and completed suicide. This is of particular importance in patients at high risk for suicide, such as those with Bipolar Affective Disorder. This audit makes recommendations for the average UK GP Teaching Practice based on standards from the NICE guidelines relating to the prevalence, timing and content of follow-up in primary care of those patients who present with self harm or suicidality in the practice population