Quality statement 1: Compassion, respect and dignity | Self‑harm | Quality standards

Quality statement

People who have self‑harmed are cared for with compassion and the same respect and dignity as any service user.

Rationale

Everyone who uses healthcare services should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity. For people who have self‑harmed, however, staff attitudes are often reported as contributing to poor experiences of care. Punitive or judgemental staff attitudes can be distressing for people who have self‑harmed and may lead to further self‑harm or avoidance of medical attention.

Quality measures

The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.

Structure

Evidence of local arrangements to provide staff training on treating people with compassion, respect and dignity that includes specific reference to people who self‑harm.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example from staff training records.

Process

Proportion of staff in contact with people who have self‑harmed who have received training on treating people with compassion, respect and dignity that includes specific reference to people who self‑harm.

Numerator – the number of staff in the denominator who have received training on treating people with compassion, respect and dignity that includes specific reference to people who self‑harm.

Denominator – the number of staff in contact with people who have self‑harmed.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example from staff training records.

Outcome

Evidence from feedback that people who have self‑harmed feel they are treated with compassion and the same respect and dignity as any service user.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations. NHS Patient Surveys ask questions about dignity when using services; however, data on diagnosis are not collected.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers ensure that training is provided on treating people with compassion, respect and dignity that includes specific reference to people who self‑harm.

All staff ensure that they treat people who have self‑harmed with compassion and the same respect and dignity as any service user.

Commissioners ensure that they commission services in which all staff who come into contact with people who have self‑harmed are trained in treating people with compassion, respect and dignity that includes specific reference to people who self‑harm.

People who have self‑harmed are cared for with compassion and the same respect and dignity as any service user.

Source guidance

Self-harm: assessment, management and preventing recurrence. NICE guideline NG225 (2022), recommendations 1.7.1, 1.14.1 and 1.14.2

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

People who have self‑harmed

People who have carried out intentional self‑poisoning or injury, irrespective of the apparent purpose of the act. [Adapted from NICE's guideline on self-harm, terms used in this guideline; self-harm]

Staff

Everyone employed by or working in all sectors that provide care and support for people who have self‑harmed. It is not restricted to qualified healthcare professionals, and could include reception staff, administrative staff and others. It applies to primary care, ambulance services, emergency departments, minor injury units, community services and inpatient settings. [Adapted from NICE's guideline on self-harm and expert opinion]