SPECIALIST teams at a North Yorkshire hospice have developed a new assessment package to help look after patients who may be at risk of suicide.

The project has been headed up by Dr John Ashfield, patient and family support services team leader at Saint Catherine's Hospice in Scarborough.

Dr Ashfield recognised there was a need for sound clinical assessment and decision making with patients disclosing suicidal thoughts.

Dr Ashfield and colleagues have created a ‘train-the-trainer’ suicide assessment guidelines package, suitable for all settings of hospice and palliative care.

"This can be one of the most difficult areas of our practice so this is an excellent tool to have when required", he said.

The suicide assessment guidelines are intended as a guide for clinical decision-making, and are based on known and significant risk factors of suicide.

The package has been used internally at Saint Catherine’s, with positive feedback from clinicians.

Once a level of risk is ascertained using the guidelines, suggestions are made concerning what might be appropriate action for the different categories of persons using them.