Significant fall in people needing urgent treatment after self-harm

People experiencing severe distress are being helped earlier across Kent and Medway, with fewer going on to need urgent medical treatment following self-harm.

The number of people needing urgent treatment because of self-harm has halved over the past year, as Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust strengthens the way people are supported when most at risk.

Preventing self-harm is complex without a single solution. The trust has brought together better information with the experiences of patients and staff to understand not just when self-harm happens, but what may be driving it and what could help. This has led to the development of innovative new approaches, more consistent care, stronger clinical oversight and targeted support, alongside improved practical guidance for staff.

One example is Start-a-Fresh, which gives adults who repeatedly self-harm specialist psychological support after they have been referred by liaison psychiatry teams in Emergency Departments. Through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), people are helped to understand what is behind their self-harm and find different ways to cope with distress. Early results show fewer go on to need further emergency or mental health care.

In the trust’s psychiatric hospitals, occupational therapists have also developed Minimal Risk Activity Packs (MRAP), giving female patients safe and meaningful activities, like simple arts and crafts, to use as a safe diversion when upset or anxious. During a trial, self-harm incidents fell by 64%. The initiative recently won 2 national patient safety awards and has been introduced more widely for the trust’s female patients. 

Julie Kirby, Acting Chief Nurse at Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust, said: “Behind every statistic is a person who has experienced real distress, and family or loved ones who may have been deeply worried about them. Helping someone earlier and understanding what may be behind their self-harm can make a real difference. 

“This progress matters, but we know there is more to do. We will keep listening to people who use our services, learning from what works and helping our teams provide safe, compassionate and personalised care.”

The trust is continuing to strengthen its approach, with high-risk forums, improved information and greater clinical oversight helping teams identify concerns and respond more quickly when people need additional help or their risk is escalating. The work forms part of its Quality Improvement Plan and wider focus on improving patient safety.