Trauma Support Team (TST)

An internal peer support service.

Laura Lawrence – Welfare Manager

Steve Malley – GMB Risk and Information

Where it all began in TWFRS

• Tyne & Wear Metropolitan Fire Brigade –

Psychological Debriefing Training (1996).

• Mitchell Model.

• 48 hours after exposure to the incident.

• Emphasis on Listening.

• Gaining engagment from Watch members.

PROFESSIONALISE

Just a house fire….

Does our approach work?

Delivery Model

• Following an incident involving a fatality, those involved

will be contacted and offered a visit by the team.

(Voluntary/any time)

• Attendance can be requested for other reasons, too.

• Incidents are monitored and contact made if appropriate

• Gives staff the chance to talk about their feelings and

help them recognise and accept the different ways

people deal with traumatic situations.

• Normalise/Educate/Signpost

Just a house fire….?

• Range of responses

• Emotional distress

• Anger

• Fear

• Pragmatism

• Care and Respect

The Model

• Normalising

• Educating

• Signposting

• Time for a break

• Unfinished business

The Second Session

• Recap

• Range of responses

• Humour starts to appear

• Gallows humour

• Disengaging

Personal Reflection.

• What helped and prepared me.

• Making a difference.

• A privilege.

Wider Context

Watch Culture

Health Promo & Wellbeing

Health Surveillance

Welfare Counselling

Sports & Social

TST

Fit for Life

National Conference – June 2017

• Hosted by TWFRS.

• 24 UK FRS attended.

• Police, Red Cross, Firefighters Charity.

• Speakers – Research, TWFRS model,

PTSD, The Forgotten Victims –

emergency services.

• Workshop/exercise.

• National Dialogue needed.

What next?

Within TWFRS

• Preparation for larger scale incidents?

• Reciprocal agreements with other FRS’s?

• Collaboration with partners?

• Ongoing dialogue with London FB.

Continuous Development

• Evaluation Data – Quantitative and Qualitative.

• Skills for Justice – Approved Level 3 Certificate.

On-going Research

• Research and development of approach.

• Continuous Improvement Cycle.

Any questions?

laura.lawrence@twfire.gov.uk

steven.malley@twfire.gov.uk

Twitter account - @TWFRSTST