Tag: risk
Managing tail risk in psychiatry – collaborative mapping
Too often in psychiatry we are faced with the problem of tail risk. The basic idea is ‘low probability high impact‘ events. This commonly presents among relatively stable patients in contrast to patients in an acute phase of disturbance. Some patients may have an established pattern of only one or two short-lived periods of disturbance per year where they present risks of suicide, homicide or violence, or arson. In any of those short-lived blips it is possible that serious harmRead More …
Systemic failures and consequential risks
Conceptual overview: Systemic failures refer to breakdowns that occur within an interconnected set of components or systems, where the malfunction of one element can lead to cascading failures across the entire network. These are not isolated incidents but are often the result of complex interactions between various subsystems, policies, and human actors. The embedded YouTube video contains much of the text in this blog, and may be easier to process. Introduction The National Health Service (NHS) stands as a beaconRead More …
Understanding how risk works
To ordinary people risk is something felt and seen. If something is dangerous you expect normally to be aware of it, like the edge of a cliff or an open manhole on some pavement. This post should be read together with Risk – how is that to be managed? If a large dog is growling near your leg, you hear it, see it and if you wait too long you’ll feel it. Do you wait for your leg to be eatenRead More …
Risk – how is that to be managed?
Psychiatry is full of risks. Without delay here is a short incomplete list: Risk to self Self-harm Suicide. Accidental injury or death. Self-neglect. Exploitation of various kinds. Risk to others Injury – from violence or aggression. Sex offences Homicide Fire and other property damage. Terrorism Risk to health Physical illness Mental health The context of this post is about risks managed in mental health services. Some of the ideas here may inspire deeper thought in other circles. For a soundRead More …
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