All children presenting to the Paediatric department at Ealing Hospital with self harm are admitted for joint assessment by the Ealing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and Social Services within the next working day. This protocol is based on NICE guidance on the acute assessment and management of children presenting with self harm (NICE guidance 2004).

To conduct an audit of all self harm referrals to Ealing CAMHS and explore adherence to the existing protocol for referral of paediatric inpatients presenting with self harm to the CAMHS team.

A retrospective audit was conducted between the period 1st April 2011 to 31st March 2012.

67 self harm referrals were received. Presentations ranged as below:

Presentation Number

Self Poisoning 27

Cutting 5

Suicidal/self harm ideation 6

Attempted jump from height 1

Alcohol intoxication 26

Cannabis intoxication 2

57 cases were assessed; 40 jointly with Social Services. 55 cases were assessed within the next working day. 10 cases were not assessed however telephone contact was made and our service offered in 9. Ealing CAMHS followed up 22 cases. 4 were offered follow up by our service but declined. We had a 100% adherence rate to follow up with no repeat presentations.

To disseminate our findings to our Paediatrician colleagues and colleagues in social services and re-audit in 12 month's time. Our model is simple and can be adopted in other centres.