Rail operator wins award for suicide prevention

Southeastern Railway's work to prevent people harming themselves on its network has been recognised with two awards.

The company, which runs services between South East London and across Kent and East Sussex, said its staff had made 204 "life-saving interventions" between April and October.

It follows suicide prevention training being given to 1,813 Southeastern employees.

The company received two awards at the Kent Mental Wellbeing awards, organised by the charity Mind.

One was for the Pass It On campaign, which encourages people working in mental health, social services, probation, the police, drug and alcohol agencies, housing departments and community safety partnerships to share information about people at risk of harming themselves on the railway.

Collette Windsor, Southeastern's trespass and suicide reduction manager, said: "Every death on the railway is a tragedy and has a huge impact on the loved ones of the person involved, as well as our staff and passengers who witness incidents."

She says Southeastern gives frontline staff the skills to approach people they're concerned about.

"From the large number of successful interventions so far this year, we know it's making a huge difference," she said.

Dr David Palmer from Mind in Bexley and East Kent, said: “Now more than ever, mental health services are critical.

"The challenges posed post-pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, rising poverty, financial stress and global political upheavals have severely impacted public mental health."

He says the impact of mental anxieties and stressed can be "hugely debilitating".

“Accessible support and local networks must be clearly and readily in place whenever someone feels they need that vital extra help or connection."

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