VARIOUS NATIONAL MEDIA: NHS 'failing self-harming over-65s' despite suicide risk increasing with age

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From the Independent

*Also featured in the Times, on BBC Breakfast, BBC 5 Live*

The NHS is not referring the vast majority of older people who self-harm to specialist psychiatric support, despite their chances of committing suicide significantly increasing, a study has found.

Researchers from the University of Manchester found that over-65s whose medical records showed reported self-harm were 20 times more likely to die from suicide in the following year – but just 12 per cent were referred to psychiatric specialists.

Period16 Oct 2018

Media coverage

1

Media coverage

  • TitleNHS 'failing self-harming over-65s' despite suicide risk increasing with age
    Media name/outletThe Independent
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    Date16/10/18
    DescriptionThe NHS is not referring the vast majority of older people who self-harm to specialist psychiatric support, despite their chances of committing suicide significantly increasing, a study has found.

    Researchers from the University of Manchester found that over-65s whose medical records showed reported self-harm were 20 times more likely to die from suicide in the following year – but just 12 per cent were referred to psychiatric specialists.
    URLhttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/nhs-depression-self-harm-suicide-risk-research-age-a8585146.html
    PersonsNavneet Kapur

Keywords

  • self-harm
  • mental health
  • psychiatric services
  • ageing