AQW 25639/17-22 Written question to the Minister of Health

To ask the Minister of Health how many people have contacted the Self Harm Intervention Programme in each Health and Social Care Trust, in each month of the last two years.

Asked by Kellie Armstrong MLA on 11 November 2021

Answered
Written

Tabled: 11 November 2021
Answer due by: 26 November 2021
Answered: 22 November 202111 days after tabling
Department: Department of Health
Priority question: No

Answer

Individuals who self-harm do not contact the Self-Harm Intervention Programme (SHIP) service directly. All referrals must first be screened/triaged by a mental health professional to ensure that anyone who requires more intensive support by the HSC Trust Mental Health Team is identified and offered the appropriate level of care. Individuals who do not require ongoing support from the Trust Mental Health Service are offered a referral to SHIP.

The number of referrals per month to the SHIP provider in each Trust area is listed in table 1 below: Data is provided for the period April 2019 until Sept 2021

Month	Belfast			Northern			South Eastern			Southern			Western
	2019-2020	2020-21	2021-22	2019-2020	2020-21	2021-22	2019-2020	2020-21	2021-22	2019-2020	2020-21	2021-22	2019-2020	2020-21	2021-22
April	50	24	34	59	26	59	60	41	56	50	19	41	69	36	54
May	92	30	40	48	27	56	80	42	82	48	43	53	66	45	67
June	86	51	57	56	33	64	72	64	86	50	35	58	73	48	73

July	66	44	46	53	45	47	71	75	58	59	55	50	61	62	41
August	53	41	35	49	34	34	45	65	47	42	30	36	46	41	56
September	70	41	53	48	44	47	72	66	44	36	27	47	54	64	76

October	61	40		67	52		68	77		49	38		57	65
November	56	42		67	56		88	68		42	37		62	59
December	69	39		44	46		60	61		31	34		43	47

January	42	34		60	37		73	46		35	44		69	44
February	60	40		68	34		70	47		57	31		71	50
March	49	39		70	51		72	68		38	40		51	64

The SHIP service also offers support to families and carers of individuals who self-harm. Carers requiring support can gain access to this service in a variety of ways including GP and self-referral. During the period 1st April – 31st Sept 2021, 333 carers participated in the family/carer support aspect of the SHIP service. A monthly breakdown by Trust area for carers is not available.

To ask the Minister of Health how many people have contacted the Self Harm Intervention Programme in each Health and Social Care Trust, in each month of the last two years.

Answer

Official sources

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