Report shows that medical staff poorly treat people who have attempted suicide
The Black Dog Institute and the Centre for Research Excellence in Suicide Prevention have conducted a study into how people are treated by health service professionals after a suicide attempt. The results have raised concerns that some patients are not getting the appropriate care.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data shows that Australia’s suicide rate has increased from 2,132 in 2009 to over 2,500 in 2012, with more than 60,000 Australians making an attempt at suicide each year.
The report showed that many patients were disappointed that emergency doctors hadn’t made an effort to get to the cause of the suicide attempt. Others felt that the overall attitude of medical staff was poor and their knowledge of how to handle suicide patients was quite low. Many felt that they were discharged too quickly and that there was no attempt at a follow up. One patient said “I would like people to treat me with the same respect as a patient having a heart attack.”
Do you think emergency wards should be better equipped to deal with suicidal patients? Or do they have enough with which to deal? Are our hospitals under too much pressure to adequately deal with all medical emergencies?
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