How our service can help you
The Self-Harm Outpatient Service (SHOPs) is a specialist and national
self-harm service. We provide two years of intensive longer-term
psychotherapy for adults experiencing complex and enduring problems
relating to self-harm or other forms of self-destructiveness. These
behaviours are understood and worked with in the context of difficulties
in relationships, early adversity and experiences that may include
trauma. We work with people to help them understand how turning to
self-destructiveness can serve as a way of coping with underlying
problems. We provide a setting that can help people bear intense and
disturbing experiences.
We are involved in outcome research in psychotherapy and our clinical
work is undertaken by senior and experienced psychotherapists, and
supervised mental health practitioners.
Individuals appropriate to this service often make frequent use of
emergency services or multiple care agencies. Many have been diagnosed
as having a personality disorder, and may also have suffered from eating
disorders, depression, complex trauma or alcohol and substance misuse.
For many, their emotional problems and difficulties in forming mutually
satisfying relationships can be linked to adverse experiences in early
life and contribute to longer term complex problems.
- Service Type: Adult Mental Health Services (National) Treatment type: Outpatient
-
Contact the service
Site Location: Maudsley Hospital Email: shops@slam.nhs.uk Fax Number: 020 3228 2383 or 07974 724 599 -
Address:
Outpatients Department
Maudsley Hospital
Denmark Hill,London, SE5 8AZ - Conditions: self harm, outpatient
Other essential information
Interventions
- Assessment and consultation with the individual and referrer
- Our main offer of treatment is two years of once weekly psychotherapy
- Second opinion assessments for complex patients
- Extended clinical consultations, including for families and carers
- Consultation to GPs, community teams and other mental health services nationally
- Supervision and training of other professionals and honorary psychotherapists
- Specialist consultations to other organisations
Eligibility criteria
- 18 years and over
- Self-harm or self-destructiveness in some form
Diagnosis is often unclear, reflecting complex psychiatric morbidity. Individuals will usually have the following presentation:
- Primary behavioural disturbance related to repeat self-harm
- Concerns about there being a high risk to self from suicide or accidental death
- Emotionally unstable and or other co-morbid personality disorder
- Co-morbid mental disorder in the form of affective, anxiety, complex trauma or substance misuse disorder
Outcomes
- Reduced number of self-harm incidents
- Improved wellbeing and diminished risk to self
- Improved social functioning
- Reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms
- Reduction in substance misuse
- Enhanced self-esteem
- Reduction in medication
- Reduction in use of services
Visit the Institute of Psychoanalysis website for more information on evidence based outcomes in psychotherapy.
Referrals
All referrals can be emailed to shops@slam.nhs.uk.
Referrals are discussed at the team meeting. If approved for assessment the team administrator will submit an application for funding to the appropriate clinical commissioning group (CCG) by way of the National Accounts Management Team or request that the referrer submits this before a referral is made to the team.