Updated
Interactive urgent-help guidance – no risk score
Support for suicidal thoughts
Choose the situation that is relevant to read direct-help guidance. Do not wait to complete questions. This is a help navigator, not a clinical safety assessment, diagnostic test or prediction of future harm.
I may act on thoughts or cannot stay safe
Contact local emergency services now. Move towards a safer place and ask a trusted person to stay with you if possible. This website is not monitored.
I am experiencing suicidal thoughts and need support
Contact a crisis service, mental-health professional or trusted support person directly. Do not wait for a score or for your distress to become worse.
I am worried about someone else
Ask directly and calmly how they are feeling, listen, and help them contact appropriate support. Immediate danger needs emergency services; do not put yourself at risk.
These choices do not establish whether someone is safe or whether it is safe to wait. Help does not depend on completing anything. No answers, contact details or alerts are sent by this navigator; contact the appropriate service directly.
Background professional guidance. This source does not endorse VAYEMA or validate this help navigator.
Do not wait for a result before seeking help
You do not need a high score, a particular diagnosis or a completed form before asking for urgent support. State plainly that you are having suicidal thoughts or are worried about your ability to remain safe. If speaking is difficult, ask a trusted person to help communicate with the service. An incomplete account is better than delaying contact until you can explain everything perfectly.
NHS guidance distinguishes immediate danger from other routes to support. A serious injury or overdose needs emergency medical attention even if you feel calmer or have no obvious symptoms. Information needed for that response belongs directly with emergency professionals, not in this worksheet or an ordinary website enquiry.
Why this page does not provide a suicide score
A number cannot capture every change in a person’s circumstances or reliably decide what will happen next. NICE advises against using risk scales or global low, medium and high categories to predict suicide or determine treatment and discharge after self-harm. The focus is assessment of needs and how to support safety, not a reassuring label produced online.
This page therefore provides no result category, cut-off or comparison with other users. Leaving every field blank does not indicate safety, and completing every field does not arrange care. The optional notes have a narrow purpose: helping you ask questions about a real service’s plan after contact has been made. They are not a substitute for professional judgment.
What a clinician may ask
An assessment may explore what the thoughts are like, how they have changed, whether there is current intent, relevant history, health and available support. The clinician may also need to understand the immediate environment and any recent self-harm. These are direct clinical questions intended to guide care, not an invitation to describe dangerous details in a public or unmonitored tool.
Answer honestly, including when you are uncertain or something has changed since you first contacted the service. Tell the professional when you cannot safely wait, when someone is pressuring you or when the proposed support is unavailable. A useful assessment considers the practical situation as well as symptoms, and should explain how the information affects the next step.
Medical needs and mental health needs may coexist
An injury, ingestion, intoxication or sudden physical change can require urgent medical assessment alongside a conversation about thoughts and distress. Do not assume that a mental health label explains every symptom or makes physical care less important. Tell responders what has happened and follow their instructions rather than deciding urgency from appearance or an online checklist.
When several teams are involved, ask who is coordinating care and how relevant information will be shared. You should not have to decide alone which service is responsible for an immediate concern. If you feel that a medical issue has not been understood, state it clearly again. The purpose is to make sure the right professionals have the information they need to respond.
Prepare for communication, not for passing an assessment
You do not need to rehearse the right answers. A useful request might be for a slower conversation, an interpreter, a quieter space or help explaining something that is difficult to say. Ask the service about these needs directly. The optional tool contains only broad questions about participation and follow-up because it cannot safely receive or monitor crisis disclosures.
A trusted supporter may help when you choose, but there may also be matters you need to discuss privately. Ask how that can be arranged. You can say that an account is incomplete or that you are worried about being misunderstood. The assessment should support a more accurate understanding, not reward appearing composed or penalise difficulty describing distress.
Clarify confidentiality and involvement of others
Ask the clinician who may receive information, what records are kept and when immediate safety concerns can require sharing. Do not assume either absolute secrecy or unrestricted disclosure to everyone you know. The service should explain its approach and the relevant limits in language you can understand. Payment or family involvement does not automatically answer those questions.
Tell the professional when a particular relationship or contact method is unsafe. Shared devices, messages or appointment reminders can create privacy concerns. These details should be discussed directly with the service through an appropriate channel, not stored here. The aim is to identify useful support without exposing you to additional harm or assuming that all relatives can be involved safely.
Ask what the proposed plan actually includes
At the end of an assessment, ask what should happen now, what is arranged next and who is responsible. Is another assessment required? Which service will contact you? What should you do if the situation worsens before the appointment? You can request a clear explanation and a format that is usable when concentration is difficult.
A safety plan and a treatment plan are related but not identical. A plan may include practical steps and contacts alongside care for an identified condition. NIMH describes several approaches to treatment and crisis support. The individual recommendation should explain which needs each part addresses rather than assume that one intervention solves every difficulty.
Make follow-up realistic
A referral is useful only when the next step can be accessed. Tell the team about transport, language, cost, disability, housing or caring barriers. Ask whether an appointment is confirmed or still needs to be arranged. Knowing which organisation has responsibility can reduce confusion when several services are involved in different parts of care.
If the agreed contact does not happen, use the follow-up route the team provides. If immediate danger develops, use emergency services rather than waiting for the administrative process. A previous assessment describes a particular point in time; it does not mean that later concerns should be ignored or that you must wait until the next routine review to seek help.
Supporters can share concerns without conducting their own test
A supporter can describe what they have observed and help the person contact care. They should not administer an improvised scale or decide that an answer proves safety. NIMH recommends direct, nonjudgmental conversation and connection to help. Immediate danger calls for emergency support, with attention to the supporter’s own safety too.
Ask the care team what role is appropriate and how to obtain advice. A friend or relative should not become the only route to help or be expected to provide clinical observation without support. Practical involvement can be valuable, but its limits should be clear. Share necessary information with the appropriate professionals rather than publicising the person’s experience.
What happens to these optional notes
The worksheet does not transmit answers, monitor them, create an appointment or notify an emergency service. An optional download remains on your device and may be accessible through shared accounts or backups. Keep only broad questions that are useful and safe, clear the notes when finished and give urgent information directly to clinicians instead.
For emotional support in the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be reached on 116 123. That is separate from emergency medical care. Elsewhere, use the relevant local support. The most important action is direct contact with an appropriate service, not finishing this page; no unanswered prompt should stand between you and help.
Frequently asked questions
Will this tell me whether I am at low or high risk?
No. It does not predict suicide or assign a category. Clinical assessment considers needs and current safety in context. A reassuring-looking online score should never be used to delay care, and no score is required before asking for help.
Should I complete the notes before calling a crisis service?
No. Contact the appropriate service first. The notes are optional questions for later, when writing is manageable and does not delay care. Immediate danger, serious injury or inability to stay safe requires emergency help without completing any form.
Where should I explain an injury or medication ingestion?
Tell emergency or treating professionals directly and promptly. Do not enter method details, amounts or medical information here. This tool cannot monitor, interpret or respond to them, and you should not wait for symptoms before obtaining advice after a suspected overdose.
Can a friend complete a risk assessment for me?
A friend can listen, share concerns and help connect you with professionals, but should not use this page to diagnose or predict safety. The appropriate service must assess the clinical situation. Supporters also need clear roles and should not be expected to manage an emergency alone.
What if I feel worse after an earlier assessment?
Contact the care team or urgent service again and explain the change. An earlier assessment is not a guarantee about the future. Use emergency services if danger is immediate rather than waiting for a scheduled appointment or an administrative response.
Will typing here alert VAYEMA?
No. Nothing entered is sent to VAYEMA or monitored for a response. A downloaded copy remains on your device. Contact an appropriate service directly for care, and use the local emergency number when immediate help is needed.
Resources and references
[1] NHS: Help for suicidal thoughts
[2] NICE: Self-harm assessment and risk tools