Working ethically with risk of suicide in mental health care: the ‘holding jelly’ analogy

Dan Warrender

doi:10.12968/bjmh.2025.0044

Working ethically with risk of suicide in mental health care: the ‘holding jelly’ analogy

Dan Warrender^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Health, Sport and Wellbeing

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate

Abstract

In this comment piece, the author uses the analogy of jelly to understand the complexity of working with the risk of suicide ethically and effectively, including the impact of acts or omissions of mental health service interventions. The article explores the dilemma of how to contain risk, emphasising that while recognition of the complexity is important, perfection is impossible when working with the risk of suicide.

Original language	English
Number of pages	5
Journal	British Journal of Mental Health Nursing
Volume	14
Issue number	4
Early online date	6 Nov 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.12968/bjmh.2025.0044
Publication status	Published - 6 Nov 2025

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abstract = "In this comment piece, the author uses the analogy of jelly to understand the complexity of working with the risk of suicide ethically and effectively, including the impact of acts or omissions of mental health service interventions. The article explores the dilemma of how to contain risk, emphasising that while recognition of the complexity is important, perfection is impossible when working with the risk of suicide.",

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Working ethically with risk of suicide in mental health care: the ‘holding jelly’ analogy

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