Self-harm is usually understood to be a coping mechanism and behaviour. It is useful to make the distinction between physical and emotional pain, although there is overlap between the two. People sometimes self-harm to stop themselves feeling numb or to cope with distressing thoughts or feelings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Self-harm can include self-injury or self-poisoning, regardless of intent, and may be associated with a range of underlying difficulties. While it is not always linked to suicidal intent, it is recognised as a significant indicator of distress and should always be taken seriously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whilst some will need referral for higher level services, CAMHS Tier<\/strong> 2 provides assessment, psychoeducation and signposting<\/strong> to children and young people who are experiencing mild to moderate mental health concerns<\/strong> and do not meet the criteria for intervention within Tier 3 or 4 services. It may be appropriate for Tier 2 to complete an assessment where self-harm is a presentation in order to better understand level of need, including any emerging impact on functioning. Tier 2 can then signpost to the most appropriate service if ongoing intervention\/treatment for self-harm is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please see the Primary Care Management tab for useful approaches to take in primary care with routes for local referral.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n C.M, J.F & P.R – 10-8-26<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Emergency referral to A&E<\/mark><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Patients who have taken overdoses or otherwise serious self-harm or there is risk to life, should be sent directly to A&E in the first instance. They will be assessed, often by liaison services who will consult with CAMHS and decide whether or not a referral for further treatment is indicated.<\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n Referrals to CAMHS<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Refer to CAMHS if self-harm is evident with moderate to severe mental illness, if the risk to self is moderate or severe, or where there is a significant impact on day-to-day functioning (e.g. school attendance, social withdrawal, or deterioration in self-care).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also consider referral where:<\/p>\n\n\n\n CAMHS Referral criteria can be found on the main welcome page: Mental Health Child and Adolescent (CAMH) \u2013 RefHelp<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where self-harm is low risk, please visit the primary care management tab for alternative local options for referral. Where you are unsure about risk and whether they meet criteria for CAMHS, then please contact the Tier 2 consultation line to discuss \u2013 please see above for detail. If you phone CAMHS Tier 2 and they are already known to CAMHS, you will be transferred to the appropriate person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Who to talk to for advice \u2013 PROFESSIONAL USE ONLY<\/u><\/strong>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Consultation Line Tier 2, East, Mid and West Lothian 01560 585007 (Monday- Friday 1:30pm-4:30pm) or email CAMHSTier2EMW@nhs.scot<\/a> All referrals should be submitted via SCI Gateway or directly to the individual locality referrals e-mail inbox. See the main CAMHS page for information on how to refer to each locality.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n In primary care, it can be helpful to:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n For children and young people who do not meet the criteria for CAMHS you may wish to direct them to:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n West Lothian<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n West Lothian ISS – Inclusion and Support Service – Health & Social Care Partnership<\/a> East Lothian<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n MYPAS – Home – MYPAS HOME<\/a> Mid Lothian<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n MYPAS – Home – MYPAS HOME<\/a> Edinburgh<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mental Health and Wellbeing Supports in the local area for young people at high school \u2013 The City of Edinburgh Council<\/a> Pan-Lothian<\/strong>:<\/span> Online Resources \u2013 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Please also see Primary Care Management for more specific referral advice to local resources.<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Home – Self-Harm Network Scotland Penumbra<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Alumina | Selfharm<\/a> \u2013 7-week programme for self-harm support 10-17<\/p>\n\n\n\n Youngminds – https:\/\/www.youngminds.org.uk\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Understanding self-harm – for 11-18 year olds | Mind<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Link to apps stem4 – supporting teenage mental health<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Link to alternatives to self harm – https:\/\/sift.org.uk\/for-people-who-self-harm\/distractions-and-alternatives-to-self-harm\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n First Aid for self harm – https:\/\/sift.org.uk\/for-people-who-self-harm\/first-aid-for-self-harm\/?highlight=first%20aid<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-harm\/Suicide Support<\/p>\n\n\n\n Text SHOUT \u2013 85258<\/p>\n\n\n\n Samaritans-call 116123<\/p>\n\n\n\n Papyrus \u2013 Hopeline 247 \u2013 0800 068 41 41 or TEXT 07860 039 967.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Childline \u2013 0800 1112<\/p>\n\n\n\n NHS \u2013 111<\/p>\n\n\n\n This guidance is informed by current best practice, including NICE NG225: Self-harm \u2013 assessment, management and preventing recurrence, and aligns with national CAMHS and Scottish service frameworks.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Self-harm is usually understood to be a coping mechanism and behaviour. It is useful to make the distinction between physical and emotional pain, although there is overlap between the two. People sometimes self-harm to stop themselves feeling numb or to cope with distressing thoughts or feelings. Self-harm can include self-injury or self-poisoning, regardless of intent,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":3788,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_searchwp_excluded":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[390],"class_list":["post-4414","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-selfharmcamhs"],"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"NHS Lothian","author_link":"https:\/\/apps.nhslothian.scot\/refhelp\/author\/nhs-lothian\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":" Self Harm (CAMHS)<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Self-harm is usually understood to be a coping mechanism and behaviour. It is useful to make the distinction between physical and emotional pain, although there is overlap between the two. People sometimes self-harm to stop themselves feeling numb or to cope with distressing thoughts or feelings. Self-harm can include self-injury or self-poisoning, regardless of intent,","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/apps.nhslothian.scot\/refhelp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4414","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/apps.nhslothian.scot\/refhelp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/apps.nhslothian.scot\/refhelp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apps.nhslothian.scot\/refhelp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apps.nhslothian.scot\/refhelp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4414"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/apps.nhslothian.scot\/refhelp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4414\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29645,"href":"https:\/\/apps.nhslothian.scot\/refhelp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4414\/revisions\/29645"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apps.nhslothian.scot\/refhelp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3788"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/apps.nhslothian.scot\/refhelp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4414"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apps.nhslothian.scot\/refhelp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4414"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/ul>\n
Who to refer:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n
Consultation Line Tier 2 Edinburgh: 01506 585 000 (Monday-Friday 9am-12pm) or email CAMHSTier2Edinburgh@nhs.scot<\/a>
CAMHS Unscheduled Care: 0131 312 1352 \u2013 for an urgent mental health assessment<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to refer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n
West Space – West Space | Mental Health and Wellbeing West Lothian<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eastspace | Mental Health and Wellbeing East Lothian<\/a>
School Nursing offer sessions on self-harm<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Midspace | Mental Health and Wellbeing Midlothian<\/a>
School Nursing offer sessions on self-harm<\/p>\n\n\n\n
iThrive | Edinburgh Mental Health and Wellbeing<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\nNational Self Harm Supports<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Crisis Lines<\/h4>\n\n\n\n