New dedicated suicide crisis nurse service for teenagers

Donegal Mental Health Services has launched a new dedicated suicide crisis nurse service for teenagers, the first of its kind in Ireland. Delivered within Primary Care, following referral from General Practitioners (GPs), under the National Clinical Care Programme for Self-Harm and Suicide Related Ideation (NCPSHI), the nurse-led service is now  live.
 
This expansion builds on Donegal’s well‑established Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) programme, introduced locally in 2015 for adults referred by their GPs. In that time the adult service has completed more than 2,300 assessments for people at risk of suicide or self‑harm.

Under the new scheme, named SCAN U, GPs will be able to refer 16 to 18‑year‑olds who present with suicidal thoughts direct to the specialist nurses. Families will be contacted the same day, and a full bio‑psychosocial assessment will take place in the GP surgery within 72 hours. Each young person will leave with a personalised emergency care plan and follow‑up arrangements linking them to the most appropriate services.