Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to strengthen follow up support for self-harm patients once they leave emergency services care.

NHS England expects all patients presenting to emergency departments following self-harm or suicidal ideation to receive a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment by appropriately trained mental health professionals prior to discharge in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. This guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng225

The NHS Medium Term Planning Framework states that in 2026/27, mental health practitioners across all providers should undertake training and deliver care in line with Staying safe from suicide: Best practice guidance for safety assessment, formulation and management, which states that all care should be undertaken using the biopsychosocial approach.

Through the national mental health liaison programme, all Type 1 Emergency Departments now have access to 24/7 liaison mental health services, supporting timely assessment, safety planning, and onward care. Responsibility for clinical governance and safe discharge arrangements rests with local providers and integrated care systems, which are expected to have policies in place covering risk assessment, follow-up, and patient safety.

NHS England is also supporting systems to strengthen community based mental health support and wider urgent and emergency mental health pathways, including through Neighbourhood Mental Health Centres, crisis alternatives, NHS 111 option 2, and the rollout of Mental Health Emergency Departments. These developments aim to ensure people who self-harm or experience suicidal distress can access timely, compassionate, and therapeutic support both during and following a mental health crisis.