© British Association of Social Workers
A Comparative Study of the Management of Cases of Deliberate Self-Harm in a District General Hospital
Michael Bateson is a graduate of the University of Salford and obtained his M.Sc. in Mental Health Social Work from the University of Manchester. He is employed by Lancashire Social Services as Senior Psychiatric Social Worker/Approved Social Work Practice Teacher.
Joseph Oliver is an American who has completed his social work training in the U K at the Universities of Leeds and Oxford. He is employed as Lecturer/Senior Psychiatric Social Worker in the University of Manchester, Department of Psychiatry. With Peter Huxley and Alan Butler, he has recently produced a book of case studies entitled Menial Health Casework: Illuminations and Reflections (Manchester University Press, 1989).
David Goldberg received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Oxford and is now Professor/Head of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Manchester and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He has published widely in the field of social psychiatry. His work includes the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), used in this study.
Correspondence to Michael Bateson, Senior Psychiatric Social Worker, Lancaster Moor Hospital, Lancaster, Lanes.
Summary
A controlled study was undertaken of two services assessing and managing cases of deliberate self-harm admitted to a casualty department. The first service featured psychiatrists only and the second included psychiatric social workers as well as psychiatrists.
A combination of standardized instruments, a structured questionnaire, a twelve month diary and medical and social work files were used to collect information. Demographic factors, repetition rates, types of help offered, client satisfaction, social circumstances and general health were investigated.
Few significant differences were found to have existed between the client populations of the two services at initial assessment. Also, there were no apparent differences in factors intervening between initial assessment and follow-up. However, the analysis of outcome measures indicates that clients benefited substantially from the addition of a psychiatric social worker in the following areas: help offered, client satisfaction, social circumstances and general health. These results are discussed.