New guidelines for the treatment and management of people who self-harm

People who self-harm often receive unsympathetic and inadequate health care in terms of both their physical and mental health needs. In order to address this shortfall, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (2004) has published guidelines on the treatment and management of these patients. The aim is to ensure people who self-harm are treated with respect and compassion, and that staff who come into contact with these patients receive appropriate training to enable them to understand and engage with them and provide the care they require. People who self-harm should be involved in the development and delivery of this training. Local services are required to review their practices with regard to self-harm in the light of the NICE guidelines, and to implement their recommendations as quickly as possible.