SHIELD: improving care for people who self-harm

SHIELD is a three year King’s Health Partner’s service improvement project which is funded by the Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charitable Trust. We are a group of health care professionals from different teams across Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital, NHS Lambeth, the Institute of Psychiatry and South London and Maudsley (SLaM). Our aim is to improve the care pathway for people who self-harm and present to the Emergency Departments at St Thomas’ and King’s College Hospitals.

Many people are involved in the clinical care that patients receive when they attend the Emergency Department after self-harming. This includes staff in the Emergency Departments, the mental health liaison teams at both hospitals and staff from various medical and surgical departments.

SHIELD does not take direct referrals for people in crisis. If you or anyone you know is affected by self-harm we strongly recommend you speak with your GP.

Additionally the following websites may be of help:

South London sites

http://www.lambethmind.org.uk/
http://www.nhs.uk/lambeth

UK National sites

The National Self Harm Network:
http://www.nshn.co.uk Helpline: 0800 622 6000

Mind:
http://www.mind.org.uk/help/diagnoses_and_conditions/self-harm
http://www.mind.org.uk/help/diagnoses_and_conditions/about_self-harm_a_guide_for_young_people
http://www.youngminds.org.uk/

Samaritans:
http://www.samaritans.org.uk Helpline: 08457 909090

For more information about the project contact:

Project Manager, Dr Sean Cross sean.cross@slam.nhs.uk / sean.cross@kcl.ac.uk

SHIELD project
Adamson Centre
South Wing
St Thomas’ Hospital
Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7EH

T  020 7188 6004