Resources

Digital support

The HIT and partner organisations developed and supported the distrACT app. It is aimed at people who are considering or already self-harm, offering them quick access to advice and support. It was created by practising doctors together with young adults and experts in self-harm and suicide prevention. The app has been signposted nationally by MIND.

HIT co-director Lucy Biddle launched the Digital Chats website to provide guidance and resources for practitioners talking to young people about online activities that may be harmful. It was created with a panel of young people and practitioners and piloted by University of Bristol wellbeing services.

Studies and reports

Self Injury Support’s Lived Experience Urgent Care Follow-Up Service Annual Service Report 2022-23

Analysis of Children and Young People in the South West with Mental Health Needs: Improvement Analytics NHS England – South West, 12 April 2023

Prevention of suicide and reduction of self-harm among people with substance use disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials, Matthew Hickman et al. Pub Med, October 2019

Technical Briefing: Understanding Self-harm in Children and Young People aged 10-24 years in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire – Population Health Specialist Team (Healthier Together BNSSG ICS)

**The briefing should be used by system partners for strategic work and is NOT for public circulation. To request a copy, please email [email protected]**

This briefing aims to help understand self-harm in greater detail as it has been highlighted as an area of concern for BNSSG and across the South West. It was achieved through a review of Emergency Department attendances and hospital admissions for self-harm over a four-year period (2019-20 to 2022-23) across BNSSG using a linked population health dataset.

The briefing provides a summary of:

• trends in Emergency Department attendances and hospital admissions
• variations in presentation by age, gender and geography
• pathway analysis to understand how Children and Young People who self-harm are interacting with the system
• opportunities and next steps
• useful resources for system partners

The analysis has generated unique insight into self-harm in BNSSG and has demonstrated:

• new insight into self-harm across the system in BNSSG for emergency department attendances and hospital admissions.
• understanding of who is presenting for self-harm, including demographics and clinical characteristics.
• a deeper understanding in how children and young people are interacting with the system.

The briefing hopes to inform the following partners:

• Local Authorities
• NHS
• VCSE and third sector organisations

This work has been made possible thanks to the collective efforts of Local Authority Public Health Teams across BNSSG, Population Health Management and Business Intelligence Teams in BNSSG ICB and the Self-harm Matters HIT.

The briefing should be used by system partners for strategic work and is NOT for public circulation. To request a copy, please email [email protected]