Anti-Ligature Meaning in Mental Health
Why Anti-Ligature Matters in Mental Health Facilities
Welcome to our Anti-Ligature Information Hub, your go-to resource for understanding anti-ligature design and its vital role in Mental Health facilities. At Safehinge Primera, we work closely with professionals across the UK, United States, and Australia to provide innovative anti-ligature products that help reduce ligature and suicide risk, prevent barricades, and create safe, therapeutic environments for recovery.
Our mission is simple: Together, we design for good. We believe in creating solutions that protect lives, preserve dignity, and support people during vulnerable times.
Mental Health care professionals, including nurses, ward managers, clinicians, doctors, and psychiatrists, face the daily challenge of minimising ligature and barricade risks.
Anti-ligature products are essential because they:
- Reduce opportunities for self-harm and suicide.
- Support psychological safety by creating familiar, non-institutional environments.
- Allow clinical teams to focus more on patient recovery.
Research and experience show that well-designed anti-ligature solutions significantly improve both safety and recovery outcomes.
What Does ‘Anti-Ligature’ Mean?
Definition of Ligature
A ligature is any binding or tying material used to connect objects or apply pressure, often around the neck, which can result in suffocation and death. In Mental Health settings, the term typically refers to methods of self-harm. Ligature points remain one of the most critical safety concerns in inpatient facilities worldwide.
Definition of Anti-Ligature
Anti-ligature refers to products or design features that reduce or remove the possibility of attaching a ligature for self-harm or suicide. These solutions are used in hospitals, prisons, and Mental Health facilities to protect vulnerable individuals.
Why Anti-Ligature Products Are Essential in Mental Health Care
Anti-ligature products are a core element of patient safety. They are specifically designed to:
- Prevent attachment points for ligatures.
- Reduce the risk of suicide attempts.
- Support a therapeutic, recovery-focused environment.
Patients in Mental Health care may be in distress, feeling trapped, or unable to see a path to healing. By reducing physical risks, anti-ligature environments give care teams the ability to focus on emotional and psychological support.
of inpatient suicides happen using ligature points
of inpatients lose their life to suicide by using a door
of inpatient suicides occur in bedrooms or bathrooms
Types of Anti-Ligature Products
Anti-ligature products are purpose-built for safety in Mental Health environments. Common examples include:
- Anti-ligature doors and doorsets
- Door handles and locksets
- Window handles and restrictors
- Coat hooks and shower rails
- Anti-ligature lighting
Of these, doors and door hardware are among the highest priorities due to their high-risk status.
Approaches to Anti-Ligature Design
Load-Released Designs
Fixtures release under a specified weight to prevent ligature attachment.
Fixed Designs
Surfaces and shapes prevent the tying or securing of a ligature.
Alarmed Systems
Sensors detect potential ligature attempts and alert staff immediately.
Anti-ligature solutions are also often paired with anti-barricade features for maximum safety.
Why Doors and Door Handles Are Especially Important
A bedroom door in a Mental Health setting represents privacy, dignity, and empowerment for a patient. At the same time, it must allow for:
- Quick staff access in emergencies.
- Reduced ligature points to minimise risk.
- Normalised environments that support recovery.
Our anti-ligature and anti-barricade doorsets are designed to meet these requirements, supporting both patient dignity and safety.