(Guidance from NHS England, last updated 11 June 2025)
This guidance which draws heavily from the NICE guidelines on assessment, management and prevention of recurrence of self-harm (NG 225) emphasises the following:
- Do not use risk assessment tools and scales to predict future suicide or repetition of self-harm
- Do not use risk assessment tools and scales to determine who should and should not be offered treatment or who should be discharged
- Do not use global risk stratification into low, medium, or high risk to predict future suicide or repetition of self-harm
- Do not use global risk stratification into low, medium, or high risk to determine who should be offered treatment or who should be discharged
- Focus the assessment on the person’s needs and how to support their immediate and long-term psychological and physical safety.
- Mental health professionals should undertake a risk formulation as part of every psychosocial assessment
For full access, please click here:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/staying-safe-from-suicide