Working with Suicidal Patients: Re-Thinking Risk Stratification and Practical Safety Planning

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death amongst young people worldwide, and more than 700,000 people die by suicide each year globally. 

Medical doctors, particularly general practitioners, have been identified as a target group that would benefit from increased training in suicide prevention. 

This presentation challenges some of the assumptions of the mainstream approach to suicide risk assessment by drawing upon metanalytic research on risk stratification.  Clinicians are presented with an approach that promotes patient trust and collaborative safety planning.