The number of suicide amongst patients with mental wellness problems has risen, reaching an unprecedented level. Now calls are being made to improve home treatment safety for those with mental and emotional problems.
A study into the situation in Britain has highlighted a lower in the rates of homicide and in increase in the risk of suicide. This report was carried out by the National confidential inquiry into suicide and homicide by people with mental illness records and analyses these statistics in an attempt to improve the wellbeing of those who suffer from mental illness.
Statistics show that in 2011, 1,333 mental health patients committed suicide, which is up significantly from 1,175 in 2010. It may be the case that the difficult economic climate in the country at the moment is contributing towards these increased suicide rates, as people find themselves stuck in worrying financial situations and feel unable to see any way out of them due to their illness.
Researchers who took part in the study are now calling for mental health services to improve their safety measures when they are aware of a mental health patient who is receiving home treatment (rather than in hospital). Data shows that there are twice as many suicides amongst those who are being treated at home compared to those who are being treated with inpatient care at a hospital or mental health facility.
The report also states that carers should be particularly aware of mental health patients who live alone, who don’t have a support network or who refuse mental health treatment. When a patient is discharged from hospital into the community there should also be a concerted effort to ensure that an appropriate treatment plan and support system is put in place to enable them to continue their treatment smoothly whilst living and independent life.
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