Our Reviews
What people say about CAMS
Reflections from those who have delivered care and those who have received support.
CAMS is a collaborative, suicide-specific approach that supports both the people experiencing suicidal distress and the professionals working with them.
On this page, you will find reflections from service users who have been supported through CAMS-informed care, as well as professionals and services who have implemented the approach in their teams.
Their experiences offer an insight into the real-world impact of CAMS.
“I really appreciate the evidence-based assessment framework of CAMS. It gives me much more confidence in assessing and working with suicidality, knowing that I have explored relevant factors to inform the formulation of risk, and giving me a structure to document my assessment, explain my opinions and recommendations, and intervene effectively.
“I am currently the only CAMS-trained professional in my MDTs; I discuss CAMS with team members often and I see them make use of insights and ideas generated from my CAMS work with people. The training and supervision have been excellent and CAMS is now a routine part of my practice.”
-Acute older adults service consultant
“Assessing risk and suicidality can be a daunting thing as a practitioner; however, being able to utilise the CAMS framework is really beneficial as it allows you to gather such critical information, which aids you in identifying the risks, but also to understand the distress someone is feeling.
“With CAMS, you are sitting and completing this with the patient, which, in my opinion, is such a vital part of the process. The patient themselves is scoring their level of pain, identifying the reasons why they want to die but also the reasons they want to live; by having this person-centred approach, we can gain a broader understanding of what is going on for them.
“CAMS enables you as a practitioner and the patient to have those open and honest conversations about their mental health and thoughts of suicide. The thing I take away the most from CAMS as a practitioner is how open and honest it is, and how simple the process feels to really break down how someone is feeling and the impact the thoughts of suicide are having on their lives. The forms themselves are patient-friendly and easy to follow, which can make it less daunting for someone when they are already in such a vulnerable position.”
-Mental health nurse working in crisis and CMHT
“I had received a diagnosis of aggressive cancer and from my research felt this was a “no win” situation. My sister died by suicide, and I have lost several close family members in recent years. I wanted to end my life. The crisis staff helped me rationalise my immediate situation and referred me to the CAMS team. They were open and welcoming, talking through my stress and anxiety, gradually talking me down from my terror state to a point where I can discuss my health more rationally. My problems haven’t changed but I can now deal with day-to-day living and have returned to work.
“CAMS was something I had never had experienced or had heard of. How did this help me? It allowed me to look at alternatives and things that would distract me from the negative thoughts I was experiencing at that time.
We explored friendships and people I could talk to. While I was in my worst place, I was not able to think out of the box and did not look to who and what was around me to help until we talked this through with the CAMS. I found talking difficult and interacting with others was the last thing I wanted to do, however, looking at the help I could get from people that was already in my life was a positive move and one that I would not have acknowledged if I had not gone through this process.
“It allows you to look at the suicide process and how this can be avoided by using skills that professionals give. CAMS helped me avoid the things that were triggers in my life and things that at that point I could only concentrate on doing as suicide was the only way out of the way I was feeling. Once I avoided areas and places that made my thoughts more prominent, I was able to think a little clearer and look at engaging in positive activities.
It allowed me to look and think differently and this I am grateful for. It’s just over a year since I was at my worst and had the CAMS assessment. I am looking to be discharged, my mental health is in a better place, and I now socialise out with friends and family and the biggest thing I have taken from this experience is to talk to people”
“I thank everyone who has helped me through this last 16 months”.
-Service user
“CAMS helped me after my second serious suicide attempt. My life was spiralling out of control after dealing with abuse when I was younger. My mental health was worsening, and I could not see any other way out. I wanted the pain to end and was ready to die. I was even at peace with this final decision. At first, I was sceptical as I did not believe my life could be any more than it was – a constant battle against myself and my thoughts of self-harm, self-medication and suicide.
“I was surprised that even talking about the abuse I suffered was easier than I thought it would be – especially as I shielded my family and friends from knowing about it. They were understanding and sympathetic to how my life had led me to where I was and helped me put in place strategies and techniques to help me deal with day-to-day life. The therapy I have received has not only given me my life back, but I find myself living a new, different, happier life. I am able to manage my emotions and symptoms relating to the traumatic event.
“I am now planning a future when before I was not able to. I owe my life to them”.
-Service user
