Taxi drivers in Eastbourne and Seaford taught suicide prevention training

Taxi drivers in Eastbourne and Seaford are being taught life-saving suicide prevention training. The Taxi Watch programme, operated by charity Talk To Tom, teaches professional drivers how to spot the signs of a person suffering through a suicide crisis, how to react and how to get the person to safety.

Drivers are in a unique place to help as they're often on the roads in the early hours when people are struggling. East Sussex County Council is one of the first local authorities in the country to offer local drivers the training, which is based on the charity’s QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) programme.

Hayley Martin, Health Improvement Principal at East Sussex County Council said "This both protects the driver, giving them the confidence to know how to safely deal with that situation, but also helps to protect a vulnerable person by making sure they get help, keep them safe and prevent suicide".

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