PB CPD Online e-learning site
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
British Journal of Psychiatry Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Psychiatric Bulletin (2002) 26: 88-90. doi: 10.1192/pb.26.3.88
© 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Stone, J.
Right arrow Articles by Szmukler, G.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Stone, J.
Right arrow Articles by Szmukler, G.
Psychiatric Bulletin (2002) 26: 88-90
© 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

An audit of risk assessment in an emergency setting

James Stone, Senior House Officer

Maudsley Hospital

George Szmukler

Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ

Correspondence: (tel: 020 7703 6333; e-mail: g.szmukler{at}iop.kcl.ac.uk )

AIMS AND METHOD

Patient records from the emergency clinic at the Maudsley Hospital were analysed from July 1999 to assess the standard of risk assessment for self-harm and for harm to others routinely recorded by junior doctors. The recorded risk factors for the consultation and the evidence that risk had been considered were noted. An intervention that comprised two seminars and two written reminders about the importance of risk assessment was made and the analysis of records in the emergency clinic repeated for July 2000.

RESULTS

Risk factors were recorded more frequently for harm to self than for harm to others. There was little recorded evidence that consideration had been given to the overall risk of harm to self, and there was no evidence of this for harm to others. Recording of risk did not change significantly between 1999 and 2000.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Assessment for risk of harm to others is not a part of the emergency consultation that is emphasised by the majority of junior psychiatrists. Changing practice will require a shift in the way that risk to others is presented in psychiatric teaching.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
British Journal of Psychiatry Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals
Copyright © 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists.