Advances in Psychiatric Treatment (2009) 15: 7-16. doi: 10.1192/apt.bp.107.005058
© 2009 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Coping with a coroner’s inquest: a psychiatrist’s guide{dagger}

Paul St John-Smith, Albert Michael and Teifion Davies

Paul St John-Smith is a Consultant Psychiatrist in Hertfordshire, UK. His interests are evidence-based psychiatry, the philosophy of science, and psychiatric training. Albert Michael is a Consultant Psychiatrist at the West Suffolk Hospital. His interests include psychiatric training, affective disorders, psychopharmacology and evidence-based management. Teifion Davies is Senior Lecturer in Community Psychiatry and Director of Undergraduate Psychiatry Teaching at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London. His interests include promoting multidisciplinary teamwork in mental health.

Correspondence: Correspondence Albert Michael, Wedgwood House, West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds IP33 2QZ, UK. Email: Albert.Michael{at}smhp.nhs.uk

During the period 2000–2004 the average annual suicide rate in England and Wales was 10.2 deaths per 100 000 population over 10 years of age. About a quarter of those who take their own lives are in contact with mental health services in the year before their death. This means that an average in-patient, sector or community psychiatrist is likely to experience the death of at least one patient by suicide in most years. Suicides by patients cause considerable distress for the psychiatrist that is unlikely to resolve until after the coroner’s hearing. This article discusses suicide prevention and provides guidance for psychiatrists on preparing for a coroner’s inquest following a patient’s death that may have been by suicide.


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Coping with suicide: a perspective from Scotland: Invited commentary on... Coping with a coroner’s Inquest
John S. Callender and John M. Eagles
APT 2009 15: 17-22. [Abstract] [Full Text]  



eLetters:

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Psychological reactions to coroner's inquest
Anita D. Damle
Advances Online, 13 Jan 2009 [Full text]