Self-harm Matters HIT 2023-24

The Self-harm Matters HIT brings together researchers, clinicians, managers and colleagues with an interest in self-harm. The HIT aims to support access to services for those who self-harm, increase awareness of some of the underlying reasons that can cause self-harm and reduce presentation to A&E departments through more tailored pathways that support access to mental health services within the community. Here are some of the highlights from the HIT in 2023-24.

5th July 2024

Making links across public health in the region

The HIT expanded its membership this year, welcoming Georgie McArthur, Public Health Consultant at North Somerset Council, and Nia Reeves, Specialist Public Health Practitioner at Bristol City Council and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Integrated Care Board.

Enabling access to self-harm data

These connections enabled the HIT to contribute to a technical briefing around self-harm produced by Bristol City Council’s Population Health Specialist Team. ‘Understanding Self-harm in Children and Young People aged 10-24 years in BNSSG’ aimed to help understand self-harm in greater detail as it has been highlighted as an area of concern for the region and across the South West.

The Council’s Population Health Specialist Team reviewed Emergency Department attendances and hospital admissions for self-harm across BNSSG between 2019-20 to 2022-23 using a linked population health dataset (where hospital data is linked to a range of other related health data to provide a contextual picture). The HIT supported compilation of this dataset to better reflect the pathway and demographic data for those who self-harm in the region.

The analysis has provided new insights into self-harm across the system in BNSSG for emergency department attendances and hospital admissions. It has helped to develop an understanding of who is presenting for self-harm, including demographics and clinical characteristics, and a deeper understanding of how children and young people are interacting with the system. This is helping to shape partnership discussions and next steps in terms of addressing the needs and inequalities identified.

Broadening membership

The HIT is also strengthening its relationships with those who support disadvantaged communities that self-harm locally; for example Bristol Mind who are working with young refugees who self-harm.

Funding enabled in 2023-24

The Self-harm Matters HIT helped secure £94,542 in 2023-24 for projects to generate research evidence, improve outcomes and address health inequalities.