Table 4 Contact with services and risk characteristics of in-patient suicide cases by leave status

Contact with services

Observation level: high or medium

117

31%

22

9%

< 0.001

Suicide during period of planning discharge

107

28%

358

58%

< 0.001

Died within first week of admission

55

19%

37

8%

< 0.001

Died within local in-patient unit

185

69%

271

64%

0.20

Detained under MHA*

136

29%

130

17%

< 0.001

Observation problems with ward design

93

22%

77

11%

< 0.001

Observation problems with other patients

31

7%

26

4%

0.01

Risk

Symptoms at last contact

311

68%

388

52%

< 0.001

Immediate risk: medium or high

111

25%

79

11%

< 0.001

Long-term risk: medium or high

208

57%

282

48%

0.003

Suicide thought to be preventable

146

33%

149

21%

< 0.001