The clinical reality of implementing formal risk assessment and management measures within high secure forensic care

Abstract

This paper describes the successful implementation of a formal violence risk assessment and management strategy within a high secure forensic care facility. The aim of the implementation was to ensure that each patient had a formal violence risk assessment and management plan that was shared and applied to clinical practice by the patient's clinical team. The process as a whole, from risk assessment to risk management including appropriate care and treatment documentation, is outlined. In this way, this paper also describes the difficulties and problems encountered within the organizational reality of implementation projects. Suggestions and recommendations on how to avoid and manage these are made.