Trauma training team shortlisted for national award
Date: 23 June 2026An East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) team has been shortlisted in the Innovation category at the 2026 Control Room Awards, recognising its pioneering trauma support for Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) staff.
EEAST was the first UK ambulance service to introduce specialist trauma training for control room teams earlier this year.
From call handlers and dispatchers to clinicians and managers, EOC staff support callers, coordinate resources and make critical decisions under intense pressure. Despite often being out of public view, these roles involve daily exposure to distressing situations and traumatic events.
Already used by police and RNLI crews, TITEN has been adapted for ambulance control rooms with input from EEAST staff. The training explains how the brain processes trauma and provides practical techniques to manage stress, and build long-term resilience.
The initiative forms part of EEAST’s wider commitment to staff wellbeing, helping to reduce stigma around the psychological impact of emergency work and foster a supportive workplace culture. It complements existing services such as Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) and Occupational Health.
Dean Nock, Keri Drury and Lucie Neave are the team members nominated in the Control Room Innovation category.
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.”
He said the team were thrilled to have been nominated for a national award and were looking forward to attending the awards ceremony in July.
