• The majority of Mental Health presentations to the Emergency department will be self-harm or alcohol related with a smaller number presenting with a primary psychotic event.
• Patients present 24/7 with a peak at the weekends & evenings.
• Most ED junior staff will not have done a psychiatric job and will be unfamiliar with assessment & management of Mental Health presentations. Don’t worry –we have tools in place for ED risk assessment & a system for onward psycho-social assessment.

Every patient presenting with self-harm needs a risk assessment using the ED risk assessment matrix

Risk assessment 1/3

Risk assessment 2/3

Risk assessment 3/3