Healthcare seeks better support after suicide attempt in A&E
A Dutch project combines experiences and data to improve the transition from emergency care to appropriate mental health support.
After a suicide attempt, the initial focus is on physical safety, but good mental health support is also needed afterwards. Researchers, 113 Zelfmoordpreventie and healthcare professionals are working to learn more about what patients experience in A&E and which follow-up care is appropriate.
113 Zelfmoordpreventie, together with VeiligheidNL, has commissioned research into visits to A&E after a suicide attempt. The public summary covers the period from 2015 to 2024 and distinguishes between suicide attempts and other self-inflicted injuries.
According to the summary, 55 per cent of patients are admitted after such a visit. That figure describes the patient group studied; it is not advice on what should happen in an individual case. The decision depends on physical condition, psychological risks, available support and the assessment by healthcare professionals.
A&E has a medical role in the initial phase. A hospital must establish what immediate care is needed and whether someone is physically safe. Afterwards, it is important that healthcare professionals also ask about suicidal thoughts, circumstances and support from those around the person, without reducing them to the event.
Tergooi recently described how staff in A&E manage the transition to psychological assessment. At that hospital, the initial focus is on physical condition, after which a conversation about thoughts of death and possible follow-up care begins as soon as possible.
The discussion is therefore about more than whether someone is admitted. The way a person is approached, the handover to a GP or mental health services, and the involvement of relatives can also determine whether support is appropriate. The available sources show that organisations want to map these elements more effectively, but they do not amount to a national judgement that emergency care as a whole is falling short.
Nor is there one treatment that is suitable for everyone. 113 and Thuisarts advise calling 112 in an acute emergency and seeking professional help when concerns persist. This article provides general information about care and research and is not medical advice for a personal situation.
Are you thinking about suicide? Talk about it with 113 Zelfmoordpreventie via 113.nl or call 0800-0113 (free).
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- 113 and VeiligheidNL investigated A&E visits after a suicide attempt between 2015 and 2024.
- The public summary gives an admission rate of 55 per cent.
- Hospitals describe a combination of physical assessment and psychological follow-up.
Left
Arguments A left-wing approach emphasises trauma-informed care, time for conversation and good access to follow-up treatment. Patients should not only be deemed safe, but also be taken seriously and given a warm handover to appropriate support.
Values Human dignity, accessibility and social protection.
Consequences More staff and time per patient, with higher costs but potentially better continuity of care.
Centre
Arguments The centre seeks a protocol in which immediate physical safety, psychiatric assessment and professional risk assessment complement one another. Not everyone needs the same form of admission or follow-up care.
Values Carefulness, proportionality and professional autonomy.
Consequences More standardised handovers, without one standard outcome for all patients.
Right
Arguments A right-wing approach emphasises clear responsibility, medical triage and the efficient use of scarce care. A&E should do what it is designed for, and follow-up care should be properly organised elsewhere.
Values Efficiency, responsibility and a clear division of responsibilities.
Consequences Less pressure on A&E, but a risk that patients become stuck between emergency care and mental health services if the handover does not work properly.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The text sticks to verifiable information about research, admission figures and care processes. Personal medical advice and unsubstantiated general judgements about the quality of emergency care have been avoided.
- confirmed The project by 113 Zelfmoordpreventie and VeiligheidNL examines A&E visits during the period 2015-2024. — This is stated in the public summary. source
- confirmed According to the public summary, 55 per cent of patients are admitted after an A&E visit. — The percentage appears in 113's factsheet. source
- confirmed Tergooi describes a transition from physical assessment to conversations about suicidality and follow-up care. — This is stated in the publication by Tergooi MC. source
- confirmed 113 advises calling 112 in a life-threatening emergency. — This is stated in 113's help information. source
Editor's note
The sources confirm a Dutch research project, the period 2015-2024 and the published admission figure of 55 per cent. A general conclusion that A&E treats patients too harshly has not been independently established and has therefore not been included as fact.Sources
- Publiekssamenvatting SEH-bezoeken in verband met een poging tot zelfdoding 2015-2024 — 113 Zelfmoordpreventie
- Zorg op de Spoedeisende Hulp na een suïcidepoging — Psychosenet
- Durf te vragen hoe het écht met iemand gaat — Tergooi MC
- Hulp bij zelfmoordpoging — 113 Zelfmoordpreventie
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „suïcidepreventie spoedeisende hulp”
- NU.nl — „suïcidepreventie spoedeisende hulp”
- De Telegraaf — „suïcidepreventie spoedeisende hulp”