Management DSH patients referred to plastic surgery CUH

Management of patients presenting to the CUH Plastic Surgery service from other hospitals/services following deliberate self-harm.

• All patients who have had deliberate self-harm should have a psychosocial asessment by a trained assessor as early as possible following the episode
• In most centres this assessor will be the psychiatrist on-call to the local Emergency Department
• Prior to accepting a referral of a patient following deliberate self-harm to CUH for a plastic surgery assessment or intervention, the surgical team should ensure the following:
  • The patient has had a psychosocial / risk assessment by the local psychiatrist on-call
  • The outcome of this assessment has included inter alia clear recommendations about:
    1. Supervision arrangements and contingency planning during transport to CUH
    2. The need for special (1:1) nursing during the CUH inpatient/outpatient stay
    3. The level of urgency of the need for further psychiatric assessment in CUH
  • A written copy / summary of the psychosocial assessment is included with the surgical transfer letter that accompanies the patient to CUH