Teaching front-line health and voluntary workers to assess and manage suicidal patients.
BACKGROUND
To devise and evaluate the retention of a new brief training package for non-psychiatrically trained multidisciplinary staff to assess suicide risk and manage suicidal patients, including referral of patients at significant risk to psychiatric staff.


METHODS
8 h of interview skills training, using role play with modelling and video feedback, was taught to 33 health and voluntary workers. Evaluation used a controlled before and after training design. Performance of the interview skills was assessed blindly by raters using predetermined criteria from videotaped role played interviews with actors. Self-rated questionnaires (SIRI-2 and visual analogue scales) were used to assess the clinical skills and confidence respectively of the front-line workers.


RESULTS
Suicide risk assessment and management skills such as problem solving, future coping and provision of immediate support were significantly improved at 1 month after training. Training did not significantly improve general interview skills, combating hopelessness nor the removal of lethal weapons. Performance on the SIRI-2 and confidence significantly improved after training. The assessment procedure itself did not improve clinical skills nor confidence.


CONCLUSIONS
Performance among individual health disciplines was not assessed. Design was not a randomised controlled trial with short follow up and no patient outcome data.


CONCLUSIONS
A brief training package is available which is effective in teaching suicide risk assessment and clinical management skills.
Morriss
R
R
Department of Community Psychiatry and Guild NHS Trust, Royal Preston Hospital, Fulwood, UK.
Gask
L
L
Battersby
L
L
Francheschini
A
A
Robson
M
M
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011340:Problem Solving; D012381:Role Playing; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching; D014838:Volunteers / Q000193:education*; D000092864:Suicide Prevention