With more than 200,000 presentations to hospital for self-harm each year in England, there is a clear requirement to reduce self-harm and improve well-being in this population. This service evaluation examined the potential for digital self-monitoring of patients’ well-being as an adjunct to psychological supportive therapy. The evaluation used a series of questionnaires to investigate patients’ use of digital technology to self-monitor their mood, suicidality and self-harm behaviour. The authors also collected questionnaire feedback from patients and clinicians about their experience of using the digital technology. Patients who used the digital self-monitoring technology mostly found it useful and easy to use, as did the clinicians. This method of recording patients’ progress has now been incorporated into routine clinical care.

Mental Health Practice. 24, 5, 21-27. doi: 10.7748/mhp.2021.e1526

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

Correspondence

fiona.brand@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

Conflict of interest

This research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care Oxford at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care

Brand F, Hawton K (2021) Using digital monitoring alongside psychosocial interventions in patients who self-harm. Mental Health Practice. doi: 10.7748/mhp.2021.e1526

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank Nic Walnes from the information technology department at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, who assisted with the True Colours data, and the nursing team who recruited patients to the study

Published online: 30 March 2021