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Cost-Effectiveness of Implementing a Suicide Prediction Tool (OxMIS) in Severe Mental Illness

  • Implementation
  • Mental Health
  • Mental Health across the Life Course
  • Methods and Tools

Cost-Effectiveness of Implementing a Suicide Prediction Tool (OxMIS) in Severe Mental Illness

People with severe mental illness (SMI), including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, face a 20-fold increased risk of suicide compared to the general population. Accurate suicide risk assessment is essential to provide timely interventions.

The Oxford Mental Illness and Suicide (OxMIS) tool is the first suicide risk prediction model designed specifically for people with SMI. This study evaluated its cost-effectiveness compared to standard clinical care by developing a decision analytic model using existing research data. The model examined the potential costs and benefits of implementing OxMIS in secondary mental healthcare over a one-year period.

Impact and Implementation

This study supports the real-world implementation of OxMIS by demonstrating its potential cost-effectiveness and clinical value. The findings provide important economic evidence for policymakers and healthcare providers considering structured suicide risk assessment in mental health services.

The research was published in European Psychiatry and contributed to an NIHR Doctoral Fellowship for one of the researchers.

Future studies should evaluate how OxMIS is used in practice, including its impact on clinician decision-making and patient outcomes.

Next Steps

  • Conduct real-world evaluations of OxMIS implementation in clinical settings.
  • Explore long-term cost-effectiveness and potential NHS adoption.
  • Develop guidance for integrating OxMIS into routine psychiatric care.

Project lead / contact: Stella Botchway — Department of Psychiatry (ox.ac.uk)

Website: OxMIS | OxRisk

ARC theme: Mental health across the life course

Completed Project

Key Findings

  • Implementing OxMIS in psychiatric services could lead to cost savings of approximately £300 per assessed patient.
  • The model showed that using OxMIS for suicide risk assessment is likely to be cost-effective compared to usual care.
  • Findings provide new evidence on the economic impact of structured suicide risk assessment tools in routine psychiatric care.