IPAP Suicide Risk Levels

Question 1

What are the 5 levels of suicide risk in the IPAP tool?

Answer 1

None
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Extreme

Question 2

A patient has no thoughts of killing themselves, what would you determine their IPAP suicide risk level as?

Answer 2

None

Question 3

A patient’s suicide risk level is ‘none’, what would you do next?

Answer 3

Routine appointment with GP
Ring Samaritans on 116 123 if the patient would like to speak to someone (this is a free 24/7 number)
If symptoms worsen, contact emergency care

Question 4

A patient has some/vague thoughts of killing themselves, but no plan, what would you determine their IPAP suicide risk level as?

Answer 4

Mild

Question 5

A patient’s suicide risk level is ‘mild’, what would you do next?

Answer 5

Patient must be seen by a mental health practitioner, consider:

• Mental health pathways, access to mental health services, crisis teams or crisis cafes etc
• Contact the GP for an urgent appointment
• GP Triage or similar

Question 6

A patient has thoughts of killing themselves and a vague plant to do so, what would you determine their IPAP suicide risk level as?

Answer 6

Moderate

Question 7

A patient’s suicide risk level is ‘moderate’, what would you do next?

Answer 7

Patient must be seen by a mental health practitioner, consider:

• Mental health pathways, access to mental health services, crisis teams or crisis cafes etc
• Contact the GP for an urgent appointment
• GP Triage or similar

Question 8

A patient has repeated thoughts of suicide and a specific plan to do so, with access to the means to carry it out, what would you determine their IPAP suicide risk level as?

Answer 8

Severe

Question 9

A patient’s suicide risk level is ‘severe’, what would you do next?

Answer 9

Patient must be seen by a mental health specialist practitioner as soon as possible
If known to local mental health services contact the care co-ordinator
If not known, contact local urgent access services or GP
If no resources are available, take the patient to the nearest ED
If the patient has attempted suicide, take them to the ED

Question 10

A patient has persistent thoughts of killing themselves, what would you determine their IPAP suicide risk level as?

Answer 10

Extreme

Question 11

A patient’s suicide risk level is ‘extreme’, what would you do next?

Answer 11

Patient must be seen by a mental health specialist practitioner as soon as possible
If known to local mental health services contact the care co-ordinator
If not known, contact local urgent access services or GP
If no resources are available, take the patient to the nearest ED
If the patient has attempted suicide, take them to the ED