Mental Health: Risk assessment and management

Myth

Risk assessment is too complicated for me to do!

The reality

Carrying out a risk assessment should be straightforward. It's about focusing on real risks and hazards that cause real harm and, more importantly, taking action to control them. 

Risk Management is defined as:

'the logical and systematic method of identifying, analysing, evaluating, treating and monitoring risks in a way that will enable an organisation to meet its objectives and minimise losses and maximise opportunities'. 

Risk Assessment and risk identification is a proactive method of reducing risks and the ‘Management of Health and Safety at Work’ regulations requires all risks to be assessed and for the significant findings to be recorded. 

Incident and accident reporting is key to the process of risk assessment and management as collation of data allows identification and trend analysis of adverse events, an important part of any risk management process. Incident review and investigation is an area that clearly provides an opportunity to improve risk management practice. 

All the Mental Health Service staff have training as part of their induction about risk assessment and management and the part they play in the process. 

The Mental Health Service has an Incident Reporting Policy and a Risk Management Policy Statement.