Taxi driver training course to help mental health now available in Wigan Borough

Taxi driver training course to help mental health now available in Wigan Borough

A new initiative that sees taxi and private hire drivers receive training to help them spot signs of a mental health crisis has arrived in Wigan Borough.

Introduced as part of the Greater Manchester wide Shining a Light on Suicide campaign, drivers are being encouraged to take the free online training course.

Wigan Council is working alongside its NHS GM counterparts with the rollout hoped to reach thousands of licensees across the city-region.

The free training course is developed specifically for the trade by the Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA) and is available now for operators in Wigan Borough.

Councillor Paul Prescott, lead cabinet member for planning, environmental service and transport, said: “This is a great initiative that could make a real difference and our licensing team will be supporting its rollout".

“We hope that as many licensees as possible complete the training across the borough and the wider region”.

The GM Shining a Light on Suicide campaign aims to break the stigma around suicide and make support easier to access.

The taxi and private hire training takes 10 minutes to complete, is available online and helps drivers spot warning signs, offers advice on how to ask supportive and direct questions.

It also offers guidance on how to start a conversation with some in distress and provides useful advice on where to signpost for further support.

Dr Manisha Kumar, chief medical officer, NHS Greater Manchester, said: “At NHS Greater Manchester, we’re committed to preventing suicide and supporting people’s mental health. A big part of that is working in partnership with others across the city-region, including those outside traditional healthcare roles.

“Taxi and private hire drivers interact with a wide range of people every day in all sorts of circumstances; and this training offers a simple, effective way to help them feel more confident supporting someone who might be struggling. It’s one of many steps we’re taking to make suicide prevention part of everyday life.”

David Lawrie, director of the National Private Hire and Taxi Association, said: “Our industry could be considered an extension of the emergency services, as we play a vital role in supporting people, often in difficult situations.

“We regularly transport individuals of all ages, some of whom may have hidden vulnerabilities, including mental health issues, that only become clear during a conversation.

“For many people, taxi and private hire drivers can be their main form of social contact, which puts us in a unique position to spot any issues and point people towards the right support. We fully welcome this initiative as an extension of the safeguarding training already in place for all drivers. It’s free and shows our support for both the NHS and our communities.”

Dr Claire Iveson, consultant clinical psychologist and strategic lead, Zero Suicide Alliance, said:

“We know talking about suicide can be difficult, but we believe that the more people who feel equipped and empowered to talk about suicide, the more chance there is for potentially life-saving conversations to happen.

“We launched our suicide awareness training for taxi and private hire drivers after working with various people including drivers with lived experiences to develop the course, and the feedback has been incredibly positive.”

While this training has been tailored for taxi and private hire drivers, anyone can take suicide awareness training. The Zero Suicide Alliance also offers general training modules for the public, professionals, and organisations.

Explore the Zero Suicide Alliance online training (external link).