A new national resource was launched today to support ambulance service colleagues in the aftermath of major, complex, high-profile and distressing incidents.
The Employee Response Toolkit Template, developed by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT), has now been adopted into the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) portfolio – enabling every NHS ambulance trust to tailor and implement it for their own workforce.
Timed to coincide with the global International Stress Awareness Week (3 – 7 November 2025) the launch underlines AACE’s sector-wide commitment to compassionate leadership and psychological safety for everyone working or volunteering in an ambulance service. It ensures that mental health support for the ambulance workforce is not only prioritised but publicly recognised as a core component of professional practice.
Co-authored by SWASFT’s Senior Academic Support Lead and Research Paramedic Sasha Johnston and Lauren Dunn, Head of Wellbeing and Occupational Health, the toolkit is grounded in the lived experiences of SWASFT employees and shaped by the expertise of the trust’s Staying Well Service.
It provides a structured, evidence-informed framework for supporting colleagues in both the immediate and longer-term aftermath of serious events – from major incidents requiring multi-agency response, to emotionally distressing situations that may not make headlines, but leave a lasting impact.
Anna Parry, Managing Director of AACE, said:
This is the first nationally available resource of its kind, marking real progress in how ambulance services support their people after potentially traumatic events. Designed for all roles within the ambulance service, it ensures timely, compassionate and consistent care.
More than guidance, it reflects a sector-wide commitment to psychological safety, learning and wellbeing, and its launch during International Stress Awareness Week further highlights the importance of the mental health and wellbeing of those directly delivering, as well as those contributing to or supporting the delivery of, emergency care.
Key objectives of the toolkit include:
- Early intervention: prompt support can reduce the risk of long-term psychological harm and promote healthier recovery
- Resilience-building: practical strategies help our people manage trauma and stress, enabling them to return to work with confidence
- Supportive culture: the toolkit fosters an environment where mental health is prioritised and help-seeking is normalised
- Reducing absence and improving presenteeism: proactive care helps maintain a stable, engaged workforce
- Legal and ethical assurance: the toolkit supports employers in meeting their duty of care under Health and Safety Executive guidance (2024)
- Learning from experience: it embeds staff feedback into organisational practice, strengthening future response
- Alignment with NHS values: the toolkit complements the NHS Safe Learning Environment Charter, promoting inclusion, safety and continuous improvement
Reflecting on the development of the toolkit, co-author Sasha Johnston said:
This framework has been co-produced with colleagues who generously shared their lived experiences of responding to large, high-profile and distressing incidents. Their insight has shaped a practical guide that not only supports employees in the immediate aftermath of such events but also recognises the longer journey of recovery as memories are revisited through media, inquests and hearings.
We are proud that what began within one ambulance trust has now been adopted into the AACE portfolio, enabling every trust to adapt and make it their own. Our sincere thanks go to all those who contributed their experiences to ensure that no colleague is left to cope alone.
The Employee Response Toolkit Template (SWASFT version) is available here.
Wellbeing leads can request the version branded with their own trust’s logo from carolyn.standen@aace.org.uk
Colleagues in each ambulance trust can request their local version from their wellbeing leads.
