More than 80% of people who died by suicide within one year of being discharged from inpatient mental health care had been in recent contact with a GP, new research. The database study, which looked at the records of 613 people who died by suicide among adult patients in England between January 2001 and May 2019, also found that more than 40% of those who died within two weeks of being discharged had at least one primary care consultation before taking their lives. It further revealed that discharged patients who died by suicide were more likely to have diagnoses of anxiety, adjustment or related disorders, depression, or personality disorders, than schizophrenia.
Researchers at the NIHR GM PSRC, University of Manchester and at Keele University, say the study, published in BJGP Open , highlights the opportunity that general practices have in helping to reduce suicide risk among people recently discharged from inpatient psychiatric care. The research team has called for hospitals to arrange post-discharge appointments for patients with a GP as soon as possible and for GPs to be given more support, with the study also finding earlier visits are linked to lower suicide risk. The study's principal investigator, Professor Roger Webb (NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration, University of Manchester) said, "These findings will inform health care providers, especially those in primary care.
They indicate the need for GPs and mental health practice colleagues to.