Enriching the wellbeing, capability and engagement of the health and care workforce
Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust - Trauma Risk Management Service (TRiM)
Due to the nature of ambulance work, staff are sometime exposed to traumatic incidents. Whilst the majority will cope with these events, others may develop physical and/or emotional / psychological problems. It is recognised within the medical profession that treatment for psychological illness is more likely to be effective if intervention takes place at an early stage after the event.
Trauma Risk Management Service (TRiM) is a peer-led process implemented by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust (WAST) to identify and assess psychological risk to individuals who have experienced trauma in work and, if necessary, signpost for further help to specialist professional support services when there is risk of psychological injury. Originating in the Armed Forces, TRiM can be used whenever stress resulting from trauma or a build-up of traumatic events is evident.
No sooner than 72 hours after a traumatic event takes place, a qualified TRiM Practitioner carries out TRiM assessment focusing on 3 stages: before, during and after the event. Using a checklist, the assessment establishes what ‘normal’ life is like for the individual prior to the event. The Practitioner takes the colleague through what happened at the incident; this can enable the colleague to process the incident. The final stage is to assess any changes in behaviour and establish signs of acute stress as a result of the incident.
The Practitioner will meet with the colleague again 28 days later, and re-run the before and after assessment conversation. If signs of acute stress are still present, the colleague will be signposted to the appropriate support service.
TRiM has become embedded across WAST as a credible, supportive and professional service run by colleagues to support other colleagues. By providing high quality support services for staff, they in turn provide high quality services for patients.
