Emergencies

Suicide risk

Assess the risk in person, now

Ask about plans, intent and access to means. Do not leave the person alone if the risk is high.

Helplines · United Kingdom

NHS 111 — mental health option (option 2 in England) NHS 111 24/7 Samaritans 116 123 24/7 Emergency services 999 Emergency services / A&E · 24/7

If the line does not answer or life is at imminent risk, call emergency services. Short numbers only work inside the country.

If there is a structured plan or previous attempts, refer to the emergency department for psychiatric assessment.

Assess with the PHQ-9 PHQ-9

Source and citation

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health/ · https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/ · 2026

Last reviewed: 2026-10-14

Decision support only: it does not replace clinical judgement.