Sentinel : A co-created digital intervention to support trauma-informed mental health and wellbeing in emergency health, social care and frontline workers - turning workplace trauma into strength

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Cogan, Nicola (2025) Sentinel : A co-created digital intervention to support trauma-informed mental health and wellbeing in emergency health, social care and frontline workers - turning workplace trauma into strength. In: 30th International Mental Health Nursing Conference, 2025-09-18 - 2025-09-19, University of Oxford.

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Abstract

Frontline and emergency workers are frequently exposed to traumatic events, yet barriers such as stigma, time pressures, and limited access to tailored care mean that many continue to struggle in silence. This presentation introduces Sentinel, a UMHRA approved, trauma-informed digital mental health intervention co-created with frontline workers to meet their unique needs. Developed through participatory research with NHS staff, emergency responders, and international partners, Sentinel offers in-the-moment support, personalised guidance, and pathways to professional care. The intervention is grounded in psychological safety, polyvagal-informed design, and principles of post-traumatic growth, turning workplace trauma into an opportunity for resilience and recovery. Early evidence from pilot studies demonstrates how co-creation enhances usability, engagement, and impact. By embedding frontline voices at the heart of development, Sentinel represents a shift from reactive crisis management to proactive, strength-based approaches that enable workers not only to survive but to thrive.

ORCID iDs

Cogan, Nicola ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0861-5133;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)