Mental health patients report negative 'tick-box exercise' in hospital emergency departments

According to the report, 25 of the participants reported having an overall negative experience of the ED, seven had a positive experience while 18 had a mix of positive and negative experiences. File photo.

Half of those presenting to an emergency department (ED) who had been self-harming or had suicidal ideation had a negative experience, with assessments at the hospital seen as a ‘tick-box’ exercise, and some said they would not return to an ED again if in distress.

The report, titled Accessing Help for Self-Harm and Suicidal Behaviour in the Emergency Department: The Experiences of Service Users and commissioned by 3Ts, focused on the personal experiences of 50 participants who had presented to the ED of hospitals for self-harm or suicidal behaviour within the preceding five years.