Repeated self-injury from a liaison psychiatry perspective

Abstract

Self-injury (self-harm) occurs frequently and is familiar in the accident and emergency departments and surgical and medical wards of ‘acute hospitals’. Despite its common presentation, there are frequent and authoritative reports that patients' experiences of emergency hospital treatment for self-harm are often negative. There is compelling evidence for the need to improve delivery of care for patients who self-harm, and to improve the training, supervision, support and coordination of the staff groups delivering that care.