Following his meeting with them, he said:
"There are higher rates of suicide amongst some of our emergency workers. So, I met the Samaritans in Parliament recently to learn more about how they’re helping our emergency response workers and everyone who may be struggling with their mental health.
Samaritans’ United with the Frontline campaign is calling for mandatory suicide prevention training across our emergency services - which helps spot and get support to people who are not coping.
With more than three quarters of people who die by suicide having accessed frontline services in the year before their death, equipping police officers and firefighters with the skills to recognise the signs and intervene could save lives of people they meet I t he community too.
We must make sure those on the frontline have the training and support they need to help those in crisis. Thank you to Samaritans for continuing to champion this important cause.
PS. If you or someone you know needs someone to talk to, the Samaritans can be called on 116123 or contacted via www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan"
