Please note: This webinar is part of the Congress 2024 webinar library package which is longer available for purchase. If your Congress Webinar Library 2024 subscription is still active, you can still watch this webinar.
Overview
The death of a patient by suicide can have a profound effect on the clinicians who have been involved in their care. The consequences of this distress can include burnout, mental health problems, not progressing with training and in some cases, leaving the mental health sector. Staff support following a death of this nature varies widely across organisations. Some staff report feeling prepared and well-supported, whilst others describe feeling blamed or even scapegoated by the organisation employing them.
This is the first GLOBAL guidance for the pastoral care of mental health clinicians. It was released this year and is in the new National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England. This is the only College work in this new strategy.
This guidance has been written by the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Working Group on the Effect of Suicide and Homicide on Clinicians (ESHC) and the Oxford Centre for Suicide Research. It outlines best practice recommendations for mental health and training organisations for supportive operational strategies and pastoral care of staff after a patient death by suicide. Recommendations are based on recent research studies and focus groups, as well as examples of good practice currently provided within some mental health organisations.
Objectives
- To raise awareness of this guidance and encourage implementation by organisation and clinicians.
- To raise awareness of the impact of these tragic events on clinicians- around 75% of the workforce is impacted significantly.
- To mitigate the effects of trauma and contribute to post traumatic growth.
Speakers
Chair: Dr Rachel Gibbons, Royal College of Psychiatrists, London
Dr Jan Birtle, Royal College of Psychiatrists, London
Dr Nisha Shah, Camden and Islington NHS Trust, London
Dr Karen Lascelles, Oxford Health, Oxford
Dr Hannah Cappleman, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
