04 April 2025
NHS England has published new staying safe from suicide guidance. It is aimed at ensuring all patients who are struggling with suicidal thoughts have personalised safety plans.
Dr Jeya Balakrishna, Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Patient Safety Lead and contributor to the guidance, said:
“There has been a stark rise in the number of lives lost to suicide in recent years, with more than 6,000 deaths recorded in England and Wales in 2023 alone. It is good to see action is being taken to address this.
“NHS England’s guidance rightly moves away from tick-box risk assessments, which are known to be ineffective and outdated. Its focus on compassionate care, therapeutic conversations, and the involvement of loved ones could greatly benefit vulnerable people and save lives.
“The College urges all mental health providers — NHS, private, and third sector — to adopt the Staying Safe approach in full, supported by appropriate training, leadership, and supervision. The guidance aligns with NICE standards and reflects emerging expectations from coroners and regulators.
“Many psychiatrists are already working hard to deliver this type of high-quality, personalised care but increasingly unmanageable workloads are putting an additional strain on our already overstretched workforce. They must be provided with the resources and support they need to implement these measures and ensure everyone has access to the care and treatment they need.”
For further information, please contact:
- Email: press@rcpsych.ac.uk
- Twitter: @rcpsych
- Out-of-hours contact number: 07860 755896