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South Central Ambulance Charity is set to expand support for ambulance staff across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire, following a £250,000 funding boost aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing in frontline services.
The funding, awarded by NHS Charities Together and NHS England, will help develop a more proactive approach to trauma support for staff at South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS). The focus will be on prevention rather than reaction, offering early, structured support for those most at risk of exposure to trauma.
New starters, student paramedics in their first year of higher education, and new volunteers will all receive planned, clinician-led coaching during their first six months in post. The aim is to help them build healthy coping strategies early on, better recognise the impact of trauma, and feel more confident seeking help when they need it.
The programme also aims to reduce sickness absence and staff turnover, while improving access to support and tackling the stigma that can still exist around mental health in emergency services.
The grant is part of an £11m national programme, including £5m from NHS England, supporting 61 projects across England since its launch in 2024.
The approach reflects findings from the NHS England Culture Review of Ambulance Trusts, which highlighted that repeated exposure to trauma and largely reactive wellbeing support can contribute to burnout, low morale and disengagement. The review called for more preventative, trauma-informed systems across organisations.
Danny Hariram, Chief People Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at SCAS, said the funding would help create a more structured way of supporting staff from the start of their careers.
“We are incredibly grateful to NHS Charities Together and NHS England for this funding. Working alongside South Central Ambulance Charity, we will create and deliver a trauma-informed awareness programme that will give new starters and student paramedics tools to better understand trauma, recognise healthy responses, develop practical coping strategies and know how to access support.”
The move comes as NHS staff continue to face sustained pressure across the health system. Recent NHS England staff survey results showed that almost one in three workers reported feeling burnt out, while 42% said they had experienced work-related stress.
Vanessa Casey, CEO of South Central Ambulance Charity, said the programme marks an important step in strengthening long-term support for staff and volunteers.
“The charity is delighted to continue working alongside the SCAS health and wellbeing team to introduce a transformative programme that will deliver support to individuals across the trust. This project will create a step change in supporting the wellbeing of our staff and volunteers, aligning charity support alongside SCAS strategic priorities,” she said.
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