A survey of deliberate self harm services in New Zealand: shouldn't we be doing better?

Deliberate self harm is important because it is common, it is associated with suicide and it provides a window of opportunity to provide help to people who do not access the usual mental health services. This survey aimed to describe the management and provision of services in New Zealand public general hospitals for people who deliberately harm themselves.

A questionnaire asking about deliberate self harm was sent to all 23 CHE's in New Zealand.

Nineteen CHE's returned the questionnaire. There was widespread differences in the provision of services and the management of deliberate self harm. For example some admitted nearly everyone who presented whilst others only admitted 20%. Only two CHE's said they kept any computerised records of this population and only six had a psychiatrist responsible for the deliberate self harm service.

Provision for the general hospital management of deliberate self harm is unplanned and disorganised. There should be centrally funded units which monitor deliberate self harm; standards for management of deliberate self harm in the general hospital should be produced; purchasers should use these standards in contracts with providers to insist on better care of this group of patients.