"My intention was positive and I acted on it"- Intervening to Prevent Suicide at Railway Locations: Findings from a qualitative study with frontline staff and rail commuters

Mackenzie, J.-M. 2022. "My intention was positive and I acted on it"- Intervening to Prevent Suicide at Railway Locations: Findings from a qualitative study with frontline staff and rail commuters. BJPsych Open. 8 (e62). https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2022.27

Title"My intention was positive and I acted on it"- Intervening to Prevent Suicide at Railway Locations: Findings from a qualitative study with frontline staff and rail commuters
TypeJournal article
AuthorsMackenzie, J.-M.
Abstract

Background

For every suicide on the British railway network, at least six potential attempts are interrupted by front-line staff or rail commuters. However, the factors that maximise or hinder the likelihood and effectiveness of such interventions are poorly understood.

Aims

The aim of the current study was to shed light on the experience of intervening to prevent a suicide at a railway location, including how and why people intervene, and their feelings and reflections in the aftermath.

Method

In-depth interviews were carried out with rail commuters (n = 11) and front-line railway staff (n = 10) who had intervened to stop a suicide by train. Data were analysed thematically.

Results

Participants had intervened to prevent suicide in several ways, both from afar (e.g. by calling a member of staff) and more directly (verbally or non-verbally), in some cases with no prior training or experience in suicide prevention, and often as a ‘quick, gut reaction’ given the limited time to intervene. In more ‘reasoned’ interventions, poor confidence and concerns around safety were the greatest barriers to action. Although often privy to their final outcome, most participants reflected positively on their intervention/s, stressing the importance of training and teamwork, as well as small talk and non-judgemental listening.

Conclusions

Suicides in railway environments can present bystanders with little time to intervene. Potential interveners should therefore be resourced as best as possible through clear infrastructure help/emergency points, visibility of station staff and training for gatekeepers.

JournalBJPsych Open
Journal citation8 (e62)
ISSN2056-4724
Year2022
PublisherCambridge University Press
Publisher's version
License
CC BY 4.0
File Access Level
Open (open metadata and files)
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2022.27
Publication dates
Published09 Mar 2022

Related outputs

The spectrum of care within a university context: the differing roles of carers in supporting students who self-harm
Edwards-Bailey, Laura, Smyth, Nina, Cartwright, Tina and Mackenzie, Jay-Marie 2023. The spectrum of care within a university context: the differing roles of carers in supporting students who self-harm. International Journal of Care and Caring. 7 (4), pp. 708-734. https://doi.org/10.1332/239788221x16890865425257

Factors prompting and deterring suicides on the roads
Norman, H., Winter, R, Marzano, L., Crivatu, I, Mackenzie, J.-M. and Marsh, I 2023. Factors prompting and deterring suicides on the roads. British Journal of Psychiatry. 9 (3) e81. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2023.52

Male survivors of sexual violence: a rapid review of prevalence, disclosure and factors influencing help seeking for ethnic minorities
Jennings, S., Widanaralalage Don, K., Mackenzie, J.-M. and Dando, C.J. 2023. Male survivors of sexual violence: a rapid review of prevalence, disclosure and factors influencing help seeking for ethnic minorities. NIHR.

A qualitative exploration of student self-harm and experiences of support-seeking within a UK university setting
Edwards-Bailey, L., Cartwright, T., Smyth, N. and Mackenzie, J.-M. 2023. A qualitative exploration of student self-harm and experiences of support-seeking within a UK university setting. Counselling Psychology Quarterly. 36 (4), pp. 638-662. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515070.2022.2146054

Intervening to prevent suicide at railway locations: findings from a qualitative study with front-line staff and rail commuters.
Katsampa, D., Mackenzie, J., Crivatu, I. and Marzano, L. 2022. Intervening to prevent suicide at railway locations: findings from a qualitative study with front-line staff and rail commuters. BJPsych Open. 8 (2) e62. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2022.27

Understanding suicidality and reasons for living amongst Doctoral Researchers: A thematic analysis of qualitative U‐DOC survey data
Hazell, C.M., Berry, C., Niven, Jeremy E. and Mackenzie, Jay‐Marie 2021. Understanding suicidality and reasons for living amongst Doctoral Researchers: A thematic analysis of qualitative U‐DOC survey data. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12437

First-person accounts of the processes and planning involved in a suicide attempt on the railway.
Marsh, I., Marzano, L., Mosse, David and Mackenzie, Jay-Marie 2021. First-person accounts of the processes and planning involved in a suicide attempt on the railway. BJPsych Open. 7 (1), p. e39 e39. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2020.173

Rapport building and witness memory: Actions may ‘speak’ louder than words
Nahouli, Z., Dando, C.J., Mackenzie, J.-M. and Aresti, A. 2021. Rapport building and witness memory: Actions may ‘speak’ louder than words. PLoS ONE. 16 (8) e0256084. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256084

Understanding suicidality and reasons for living amongst Doctoral Researchers: A thematic analysis of qualitative U-DOC survey data
Hazell, C.M., Berry, C., Niven, J. E. and Mackenzie, J.-M. 2021. Understanding suicidality and reasons for living amongst Doctoral Researchers: A thematic analysis of qualitative U-DOC survey data. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research. 21 (4), pp. 757-767. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12437

Patterns and motivations for method choices in suicidal thoughts and behaviour: Qualitative content analysis of a large online survey
Marzano, L., Katsampa, D., Mackenzie, J.-M., Kruger, I., El-Gharbawi, N., Ffolkes-St-Helene, D., Mohiddin, H. and Fields, B. 2021. Patterns and motivations for method choices in suicidal thoughts and behaviour: Qualitative content analysis of a large online survey. BJPsych Open. 7 (2) e60. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2021.15

Nursing assistants’ experiences of administering manual restraint for compulsory nasogastric feeding of young persons with anorexia nervosa
Kodua, M., Mackenzie, J.-M. and Smyth, N. 2020. Nursing assistants’ experiences of administering manual restraint for compulsory nasogastric feeding of young persons with anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 29 (6), pp. 1181-1191. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12758

Nursing assistants’ experiences of administering manual restraint for compulsory nasogastric feeding of young persons with anorexia nervosa
Kodua, M., Mackenzie, J.-M. and Smyth, N. 2020. Nursing assistants’ experiences of administering manual restraint for compulsory nasogastric feeding of young persons with anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 29 (6), pp. 1181-1191. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12758

Factors deterring and prompting the decision to attempt suicide on the railway networks: findings from 353 online surveys and 34 semi-structured interviews
Marzano, L., Mackenzie, J.-M., Kruger, I., Borrill, J. and Fields, B. 2019. Factors deterring and prompting the decision to attempt suicide on the railway networks: findings from 353 online surveys and 34 semi-structured interviews. British Journal of Psychiatry. 215 (4), pp. 582-587. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2018.303

Health inequalities and health equity challenges for victims of modern slavery
Dando, C.J., Brierley, Robin, Saunders, Karen and Mackenzie, J.-M. 2018. Health inequalities and health equity challenges for victims of modern slavery. Journal of Public Health. 41 (4), pp. 681-688. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdy187

Behaviours preceding suicides at railway and underground locations: a multimethodological qualitative approach
Mackenzie, J.-M., Borrill, J., Hawkins, E., Fields, B., Kruger, I., Noonan, I. and Marzano, L. 2018. Behaviours preceding suicides at railway and underground locations: a multimethodological qualitative approach. BMJ Open. 8 (4) e021076. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021076

Exploring suicidal behaviours by probation clients—a qualitative near-lethal study
Mackenzie, J.-M., Borrill, J. and Cartwright, T. 2018. Exploring suicidal behaviours by probation clients—a qualitative near-lethal study. The Journal of Public Health. 40 (1), pp. 146-153. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdx005

How to help offenders on probation who are at high risk of suicide
Mackenzie, J.-M. 2017. How to help offenders on probation who are at high risk of suicide. The Conversation.

Relationships in the context of suicide risk
Borrill, J., Mackenzie, J.-M., Cook, L. and Beck, A. 2015. Relationships in the context of suicide risk. Probation Journal. 62 (1), pp. 71-78. https://doi.org/10.1177/0264550515570194

Probation staff experiences of managing suicidal and self-harming service users
Mackenzie, J.-M., Cartwright, T., Beck, A. and Borrill, J. 2015. Probation staff experiences of managing suicidal and self-harming service users. Probation Journal. 62 (2), pp. 111-127. https://doi.org/10.1177/0264550515571396

Using Survivor Accounts to Understand Suicidal Behaviour by Offenders in Community Settings
Mackenzie, J.-M. 2013. Using Survivor Accounts to Understand Suicidal Behaviour by Offenders in Community Settings. World Congress of the International Association of Suicide Prevention. Oslo, Norway 24 - 28 Sep 2013

Researching suicide, attempted suicide and near-lethal self-harm by offenders in community settings: Challenges for future research
Mackenzie, J.-M., Borrill, J. and Dewart, H. 2013. Researching suicide, attempted suicide and near-lethal self-harm by offenders in community settings: Challenges for future research. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health. 12 (1), pp. 26-32. https://doi.org/10.1080/14999013.2012.760184

Researching suicide, attempted suicide and near-lethal self-harm by offenders in community settings: challenges for future research
Mackenzie, J.-M., Borrill, J. and Dewart, H. 2013. Researching suicide, attempted suicide and near-lethal self-harm by offenders in community settings: challenges for future research. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health. 12 (1), pp. 26-32. https://doi.org/10.1080/14999013.2012.760184

Near Miss Suicide of Offenders Doing Community Sentences
Mackenzie, J.-M. 2011. Near Miss Suicide of Offenders Doing Community Sentences. 11th Annual international Association of Forensic Mental Health Services Conference. Barcelona 29 Jun - 01 Jul 2011

Near-miss suicides in offenders doing community sentences
Mackenzie, J.-M. and Borrill, J. 2011. Near-miss suicides in offenders doing community sentences. International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services Conference. Barcelona 29 Jun - 01 Jul 2011

Permalink - https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/item/w3210/-my-intention-was-positive-and-i-acted-on-it-intervening-to-prevent-suicide-at-railway-locations-findings-from-a-qualitative-study-with-frontline-staff-and-rail-commuters


Share this

Usage statistics

39 total views
6 total downloads
These values cover views and downloads from WestminsterResearch and are for the period from September 2nd 2018, when this repository was created.