Patient Suicide Resources
I was delighted to get my first consultant psychiatrist job in 2009 in an inpatient unit in inner London. In my second week, I had my first patient die by suicide. In my third week, another patient I’d treated died by suicide. In my third month, we had a very distressing and violent death by suicide of a patient on the ward. This latter death was initially treated by the police as a murder. This was a shock to me at the time, but I know now that this is not uncommon.
After my first months as a consultant psychiatrist I was permeated by the experience of suicide. I could not understand how three patients I’d treated could have died like this and felt that I must have somehow caused—or at the very least contributed to—their deaths. As a result of this belief I felt deeply ashamed, humiliated, and alone. I continued working but I was incapacitated, unable to make even the simplest clinical decision, and was terrified by every patient I had contact with. I nearly left psychiatry before my career had begun.
A personal account
In collaboration with the Oxford Centre of Suicide Research, I conducted two surveys, one of psychiatrists and another of mental health professionals in general. The suicide of a patient had a significant impact on the emotional wellbeing of 92% of surveyed psychiatrists (105 participants), with 71% experiencing sadness, 33% fear, and 31% guilt and self-blame. Almost 50% (50 out of 106 participants) of mental health professionals of all professional backgrounds thought their mental health had been adversely affected by a patient’s suicide and they also reported similar feelings of sadness and culpability.
92%
71%
~50%
Understanding the extent of the problem
Support
Bi monthly RCPsych Peer support group for any psychiatrists at any level in any of the devolved nations. To join please contact the Psychiatrists Support Service.
Reports, podcasts and learning
A page on the RCP website designated to supporting psychiatrists during the difficult time after a patient has died. There you will find many video, audio and written recourses.
A patient’s suicide can have a detrimental impact on the wellbeing of healthcare staff and future patient care.
“Life Beyond the Cubicle: Working Well with Families in Mental Health Crises” is an e-learning series authored by Making Families Count, available on the NHS Learning Hub. It comprises six modules designed to enhance healthcare professionals’ engagement with families during mental health crises. Topics include the significance of family involvement, addressing assumptions, managing emotions, confidentiality, safety planning, and providing resources for families and friends. The series also offers a guide for group-based learning, facilitating collaborative education among practitioners.