Understanding wound care in self-harm: A compassion-focused self-management wound care approach (HHS-2026-09)

Self-harm remains a significant public health issue, yet many people who self-injure experience inadequate, fragmented, or stigmatising care. Current approaches often focus on psychological risk assessment or crisis management, with limited attention to the physical consequences of self-harm, including wound care. As a result, some individuals may avoid formal healthcare and instead rely on informal or self-directed wound management, increasing the risk of infection, delayed treatment, and further distress.

This PhD will explore how compassion-focused wound care approaches can improve experiences of care for people who self-harm and support healthcare professionals in providing more effective and non-stigmatising responses. The project will use a sequential mixed-methods design beginning with a systematic review of the evidence on the psychological impact of self-harm wound care and existing interventions. This will be followed by surveys and qualitative interviews with people with lived experience of self-harm and healthcare professionals involved in their care. Findings will inform a co-design phase to develop a compassion-focused framework for wound care self-management and professional education.

The project will address an important gap in self-harm care by integrating emotional support, physical wound management, and healthcare professional training. It aligns with mental health, public health, and allied health research priorities, and has potential to improve compassionate care, reduce avoidance of services, and support safer wound management for people who self-harm.