Experience of acute hospital care by patients affected by self-harm.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploration of the experience of patients within an acute hospital, following admission due to self-harm.
IRAS ID
257193
Contact name
David Anderson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Central Lancashire
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 31 days
Research summary
In 2012, the Government (Department of Health,2012) outlined its national suicide prevention strategy, with the acute emergency pathway identified as a key opportunity for suicide prevention. Current National Institute of Care Excellence (2004) guidelines, for the management and prevention of self-harm, call for further qualitative research into the experiences of service users in this area. The purpose of this phenomenological study, therefore, is to explore the lived experience of patients within acute care, following admission due to self-harm.
Through seeking to gain an insight into the experience of care for patients affected by self-harming behaviour, this research seeks to inform a registered Quality Improvement project at East Lancashire Health Care Trust, which is working to enhance care for this patient group. The findings will be shared through publication and staff training. The study will also contribute to the research student’s MPhil/PhD at the University of Central Lancashire.
Patients admitted due to self-harming behaviour on to the acute medical assessment units at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, will be invited to participate in semi-structured interviews based around 6 questions concerning their experience of acute care. Potential participants will be identified by the co-ordinator of the medical assessment units, subject to strict inclusion criteria, and asked to comment on six different aspects of their experience of care. Up to 25 interviews, lasting up to 45min will be conducted, the results subjected to thematic analysis to reveal the key structures of the patients’ experience.
The research student works for East Lancashire Hospital Trust as a Chaplain and Counsellor. The interviews will be conducted as part of his work for the Trust, the MPhil/PhD being privately funded by the research student.For the purpose of this research, the National Institute of Care Excellence (2004) definition of self-harm will be used, encompassing suicide, as the full title.
REC name
London - Surrey Borders Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0844
Date of REC Opinion
21 May 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion