An emergency team providing mental health support to ambulance staff serving Bedford Borough has been shortlisted for a national award.
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) trauma team is a finalist in the innovation category at the 2026 Control Room Awards.
Dean Nock, Keri Drury, and Lucie Neave received the nomination for introducing specialist trauma training to the emergency operations centre staff earlier this year.
The local ambulance service was the first in the UK to bring in the programme, which supports 999 call handlers, dispatchers, clinicians, and managers.
These staff members handle intense pressure and face daily exposure to distressing situations while coordinating emergency responses across the region.
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Known as TITEN, the training explains how the brain processes trauma and provides practical tools for managing stress and building long-term resilience.
The initiative adapts techniques already used by police and RNLI crews, drawing on direct input from ambulance staff themselves.
It forms part of the trust’s wider commitment to reduce the stigma around mental health in emergency work.
Dean Nock, EOC retention, health and wellbeing lead at EEAST, said: “Our EOC teams deserve the very best support, and TITEN is an important step in delivering that. When people feel valued and understood, they are far more likely to stay and thrive.”
Nock added that the team is looking forward to attending the awards ceremony in July.
