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Freedom of Information request 250-2022

Response published: 10 May 2022

FOI Request

Subject: Freedom of Information request: suicide prevention in mental health inpatient wards Thank you for processing this freedom of information request, which is being sent to all 50 mental health NHS trusts in England and Wales. The information we are seeking will inform a national study into the effectiveness of alarmed doors and anti-ligature products in reducing suicide rates on UK mental health inpatient wards. The results of the study will be of great value to NHS trusts and health boards in their decision-making around the procurement of these products, taking into account the substantial costs. To provide relevant estimates, we are relying on completeness of data provided by NHS trusts. On study completion write-up to be completed by September 2023. the authors will disseminate the findings to all Trusts and health boards providing data, as well as to central and local stakeholders. The study is being undertaken at UCL University College London. by a team of NHS staff with dual clinical and academic NHS/UCL contracts. The study’s primary supervisor is Dr Alexandra Pitman, Associate Professor in Psychiatry at UCL, who is an academic consultant psychiatrist with experience as clinical lead of an inpatient psychiatric ward. The study’s secondary supervisor is Professor Sonia Johnson, Professor of Social and Community Psychiatry at UCL and Director of the NIHR Mental Health Policy Research Unit PRU. for England, which provides evidence to the Department of Health and Social Care and its arm’s length bodies to support policy. As the lead researcher, my own background is as a registered mental health nurse currently studying for a MSc at UCL.

FOI Response

1 What was the total combined confirmed number of annual deaths by suicide† that occurred while the patient was under the care of mental health services any age. and learning disabilities’ inpatient services††?
Information from risk and safety team.
  0   0   4
2 Of the number of deaths by suicide† enumerated above for question 1., what was the total combined confirmed number of annual deaths by suicide that occurred within a ward where an anti-ligature alarmed door was installed? Information from risk and safety team. 0 0 0
3 Of the number of deaths by suicide† confirmed by coroner. enumerated above for question 2., how many deaths involved using an anti-ligature alarmed door as a fixed point for a ligature? Information from risk and safety team. 4 What was the total combined number of bed days for patients of any age. treated within your mental health and learning disabilities’ inpatient services††?
Information from bed management team.
Only includes Gloucestershire mental health & LD wards and patients that occupied a bed excluding leave. within the time period   56275   55686   52517
5 What was the total number of inpatient wards within your mental health and learning disabilities’ inpatient services††?
Information from bed management team. 12 12 12
6 What was the total combined number of anti-ligature alarmed doors installed within your mental health all ages. and learning disabilities’ inpatient services††?
Information from estates/property team.   0   0   93
7 What was the cost of installing anti-ligature alarmed doors inclusive of all associated costs with installation. within your mental health all ages. and learning disabilities’ inpatient services††? If costs for this occurred prior to the tax year 2018/19 please enter them in the box for the tax year 2018/19 and state which year they were incurred.
Information from estates/property team   0   0   £351,000 plus VAT
8 What was the total amount of money spent on anti-ligature products/works within your NHS trust? If costs for this occurred prior to the tax year 2018/19 please enter them in the box for the tax year 2018/19 and state which year they were incurred.
Information from estates/property team
We will not be able to provide a response to this question, as it will take 18 or more working hours to deal with the request e.g. locating, retrieving, extracting the information..
It is also commercially sensitive information.