In April 2025, NHS England published guidance to support the government's work to reduce suicide and improve mental health services: Staying Safe from Suicide: Best practice guidance for safety assessment, formulation and management 

This guidance places the emphasis on the relational aspect of risk assessment and is clear that we must not use risk scores or stratified tools to make a decision about someone's risk of self-harm or suicide.

Because of this, there have been some changes to the risk screening tool (for adults) in EPR. This now includes the three core elements recommended in the guidance (see photo). 

It is still important to remember that we undertake an initial risk assessment to inform immediate safety plans whilst we are treating someone's self-harm. Anyone who attends our hospitals with self-harm or suicidal ideation should be offered a specialist psychosocial assessment by the Mental Health Liaison Team.

Please ensure that the Mental Health Liaison Team are informed if someone you have been working with is being discharged. 

• Mental Health Liaison Team CRH - 01422 224 642
• Mental Health Liaison Team HRI - 01484 355 521