University of Brighton partners with Samaritans to prepare future paramedics for mental health emergencies

More than 50 first-year Paramedic Science students have completed a pioneering three-day virtual placement developed in partnership with Samaritans, giving them practical skills in listening, managing suicidal conversations, recognising trauma, building resilience and protecting their own wellbeing.

The placement reflects the growing role paramedics play in responding to mental health emergencies. While ambulance clinicians are often first on the scene when someone is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal thoughts, many healthcare professionals report feeling underprepared for these conversations. 

By introducing these skills at the very start of students' training, the University of Brighton is helping equip future paramedics with the confidence to support patients during some of the most difficult moments of their lives, while also developing strategies to protect their own mental health throughout their careers.

Samaritans is the charity that prevents suicide through the power of human connection. Thousands of volunteers across the UK give their time to ensure that anyone struggling to cope has somewhere to turn, day or night.  The placement mirrors the approach used to train Samaritans listening volunteers, adapting the charity's evidence-based methods into an intensive programme designed specifically for healthcare students.  

Across three days, students explored active listening, building resilience and wellbeing, managing suicidal conversations, recognising and managing trauma, and reflecting on how to care for their own emotional wellbeing in demanding clinical environments.

The initiative builds on the success of a similar programme previously delivered with another university and forms part of the University of Brighton's commitment to broadening placement opportunities that prepare students for the realities of modern healthcare.

Emma Searle, a first-year Paramedic Science student at the University of Brighton, said: "This placement completely changed the way I think about conversations around mental health. Before, I think I would have worried about saying the wrong thing, but now I understand that listening properly can be one of the most powerful ways to support someone.

"As student paramedics, we know we'll meet people during some of the hardest moments of their lives. This training has given me much more confidence to have those conversations with empathy and compassion, while also recognising when I need to look after my own wellbeing too. I know these are skills I'll carry with me throughout my career."

Students said the training helped build both their confidence and understanding of mental health, particularly when responding to patients experiencing suicidal thoughts.

One student said: "Managing suicidal conversations was the most valuable part as it built my knowledge and confidence in an area that the ambulance service sees commonly in practice. I feel more confident now to have a discussion with a patient around suicide."

Another added: "One of the key things I'm going to take away is how to approach and talk to someone who is going through something mentally challenging. This will really help me in the future with patients."

Katrina Hardie, Lecturer in Paramedic Science at the University of Brighton, said: "Our students are encountering complex mental health situations from the very beginning of their ambulance placements, yet many healthcare professionals recognise they haven't always received the training or confidence needed for these conversations.

"This placement gives students practical communication skills that can help them support patients experiencing distress, while also providing space to reflect on the emotional impact these situations can have on themselves. They're learning skills they'll use throughout their careers, regardless of the type of patient they're caring for."

Berni Davies, Training and Engagement Programmes Facilitator at Samaritans, said: "It was a pleasure working with paramedic students to facilitate this online mental health placement. Students developed a greater understanding of the power of listening, how to respond when someone is suicidal, and the importance of looking after their own wellbeing when faced with difficult call-outs.

"Last year, we revealed a rise of 32,143 ambulance service call-outs related to suicide and self-harm across England between 2023 and 2024. These stark figures highlight the growing demand on ambulance clinicians to respond to people in suicidal crisis, making it more important than ever that they feel confident having these conversations. We hope this training gives students skills they'll carry with them throughout their careers."

The University of Brighton hopes to build on the success of the placement by expanding the programme across other healthcare disciplines, including nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. The aim is to equip even more future healthcare professionals with the confidence and communication skills needed to support people experiencing mental health challenges before they enter the workforce.

As demand for mental health support continues to grow across healthcare services, initiatives like this are helping ensure the next generation of clinicians are prepared not only with the clinical knowledge they need, but also with the compassion, resilience and listening skills that can make a life-changing difference to patients and colleagues alike.