Rail industry suicide prevention programme

Every suicide leaves a lasting effect on family and friends, as well as rail staff, commuters and the wider community. In 2010 Samaritans began working with Network Rail with the aim of preventing rail suicides and supporting those affected by them.

Our partnership with Network Rail and work with the wider rail industry focuses on seven key areas:

• Engaging the rail industry in suicide prevention and support activities
• Reaching out to those most at risk through our awareness campaigns
• Training rail industry staff in suicide prevention
• Supporting people affected by a suicide
• Volunteer outreach and support at stations after a suicide
• Working with the media to encourage responsible reporting of rail suicides
• Working with police and health services

Our achievements

Since the partnership launched, we have:

• Trained over 32,000 rail staff in Samaritans' suicide prevention and trauma awareness courses
• Empowered course delegates to make potentially life-saving interventions
• Won more than 50 awards won in recognition of outstanding partnership and training work
• Delivered the multi-award winning campaign 'Small Talk Saves Lives'
• Increased engagement from train operating companies across England, Scotland and Wales year-on-year.
• Led a research study on mental health and wellbeing support for the rail industry, in partnership with Mental Health at Work. The study provides good practice recommendations for mental health provision, to allow the rail industry to raise awareness for their staff, support those experiencing mental illness and encourage a culture shift to further destigmatise conversations around mental health. This was commissioned by Great Western Railway and the Department for Transport.
  
  Read the study:

Find out more

For more information on the rail industry suicide prevention programme and their work with Samaritans please visit the Rail Suicide Prevention website.