Peter talks us through managing patients that display counter intuitive behaviours. How can we look at causes but, more importantly, how can we safely manage patients who are violent, want to run away or who do not look at the responder as help. 

Top tips 

1) Always have and practice an exit strategy, identify who can help and where that person needs to be 

2) Can you upskill to recognise a person who is vulnerable 

3) Can you ask the right questions? 

4) Listen well, this is an art but is fundamental in helping people with counterintuitive behavior 

Biography

Dr Peter Aitken MRCGP FRCPsych is Director of Research & Development and executive lead for suicide prevention at Devon Partnership NHS Trust and Honorary Associate Professor, University of Exeter Medical School.  

He is chair of the Medical Committee at the RNLl, mental health adviser to the National Association of Primary Care, trustee at the Lions Barber Collective, and member of the steering group for Zero Suicide Alliance. He is a past chair of the Faculty of Liaison Psychiatry at the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Psychiatrist of the Year in 2016 for his work with NHS England leading the design and delivery of Core24 Liaison Psychiatry Services for all English Hospitals with an Emergency Department.  

As an executive and clinical leader, he trained in quality improvement with the US Institute for Health Improvement Patient Safety Program and the NHS program for Advanced Improvement in Quality & Safety. He has published in suicide prevention and has an experience of drawing learning from the national confidential inquiry into effective action for change in services and hard to reach communities.