Citation

Large MM, Kapur N. Br. J. Psychiatry 2018; 212(5): 269-273.

Affiliation

Centre for Suicide Prevention,Centre for Mental Health and Safety,Division of Psychology and Mental Health,University of ManchesterandGreater Manchester Mental Health National Health Service Foundation Trust, M13 9PL,UK. Email:nav.kapur@manchester.ac.uk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Royal College of Psychiatry)

DOI

10.1192/bjp.2018.22

PMID

30056818

Abstract

SummaryThe association between current or recent psychiatric hospitalisation and increased suicide risk is well described. This relationship is generally assumed to be due to the selection of people at increased risk of suicide for psychiatric admission and subsequent failure of protection from suicide once admitted. Here, Matthew Large and Nav Kapur debate whether or not admission to hospital also selects for vulnerability to certain harmful aspects of hospitalisation and whether the increased rate of suicide in current and recently discharged psychiatric patients is, in fact, due to psychiatric hospitalisation itself.Declaration of interestM.M.L. has provided expert testimony in legal proceedings following in-patient suicide. N.K. sits on the Department of Health (England) National Suicide Prevention Strategy Advisory group.

Language: en