This session will explore the national Staying Safe guidance (final guidance will be published in March 2025), developed with NHS England and a diverse range of stakeholders, which marks a paradigm shift in suicide and self-harm prevention across mental health services. Our expert speakers (including experts by experience) will present key elements of this new approach, which moves beyond outdated risk prediction models to embrace a holistic, person-centred framework. By focusing on biopsychosocial safety assessments, formulation, and management, this guidance prioritizes ongoing collaboration between clinicians, patients, and their support networks to enhance patient safety and well-being.
During the session, attendees will learn about the practical implementation of this guidance, including how to build effective safety plans and integrate these into everyday clinical practice. Our speakers will address the importance of language, demonstrating how shifting from "risk assessment" to "safety assessment" fosters better therapeutic relationships and reduces stigma. The presentation will be followed by an engaging panel discussion, where leaders in mental health care and implementation specialists will discuss the real-world challenges and successes of adopting this guidance across various NHS services, including mental health trusts that have effectively implemented this new paradigm.
In this session you will gain:
- Insights into the Staying Safe guidance and its implications for suicide and self-harm prevention
- Practical strategies to implement biopsychosocial assessments and collaborative safety planning in their practice
- An understanding of how this guidance improves patient outcomes and supports clinicians in fostering trust and communication with patients
- The opportunity to engage with experts during the panel discussion to discuss challenges, share experiences, and gather actionable ideas for their services.
This session is vital for mental health professionals, service leaders, and policymakers committed to reducing suicide and self-harm through innovative, evidence-based approaches and is relevant to all devolved nations who are grappling with similar issues.
Learning objectives
By attending this session you will:
- Understand the key principles of the Staying Safe guidance and its shift from traditional risk prediction to person-centred safety planning for suicide and self-harm prevention
- Learn how to conduct effective biopsychosocial safety assessments and integrate safety formulation and management into clinical practice
- Develop practical skills for creating and maintaining collaborative safety plans with patients, families, and carers to enhance ongoing patient safety
- Explore real-world challenges and strategies for implementing the Staying Safe approach across different mental health services and sectors.
Speakers
Chair: Dr Jon Van Niekerk
Dr Adrian Whittington, NHSE, London
Mr Seamus Watson, NHSE, London
Ms Natasha Bryant, Avon and Wiltshire NHS Trust
Dr Rachel Gibbons
Mr Philip Pirie, Suicide Prevention Campaigner
Availability
This webinar is part of the Congress webinar 2025 package. If you attended all four days of Congress, you will have access to these as part of your Congress package. Otherwise the Congress webinar 2025 package can be purchased below.
