Project details

Summary

What is the study about? 

What are you trying to find out?

Call-Handlers and Dispatchers (CHDs) are the first point of access in an emergency or urgent situation and their actions can have life-or-death consequences. CHDs, due to the nature of their work, are more susceptible to experiencing strong negative emotions such as horror, helplessness and/or fear. The scientific literature on this population is very scarce, and the few studies developed with CHDs have shown an association between their role and the development of some mental health difficulties. In this study, we aim to investigate over time the individual and organisational factors potentially associated with the mental health and wellbeing of NHS emergency and urgent CHDs working in England.  

GMMH is a Participant Identification Centre (PIC) for this study, meaning that we do not carry out the research. If you are interested in taking part in this study, please review the Key Documents and contact the lead researcher (details at the bottom of this page). 

Who is it for?

GMMH is a Participant Identification Centre (PIC) for this study, meaning that we do not carry out the research. If you are interested in taking part in this study, please review the Key Documents and contact the lead researcher (details at the bottom of this page). 

You might be able to take part if you work in the NHS as an Emergency (999) and/or Urgent (111) call-handler and/or dispatcher in England. We are very keen to understand your work experiences in this role and how they are associated with mental health and wellbeing.

We are aiming to recruit up to 30 participants for this study. 

What does taking part involve?

GMMH is a Participant Identification Centre (PIC) for this study, meaning that we do not carry out the research. If you are interested in taking part in this study, please review the Key Documents and contact the lead researcher (details at the bottom of this page). 

If you decide to participate in this research project, you will be invited for a one-off individual interview, which will be led by one of the researchers within the team. You can choose if you want the interview to be online (via Zoom or Microsoft Teams) or face to face (at Maple House, UCL Division of Psychiatry), and the interview should take around 45 minutes to one hour to complete.

In the interview, we will discuss your views and experiences as a Call-Handler and Dispatcher (CHD) and how they impacted your mental health and wellbeing. The interview will be transcribed by one of the researchers, and the original recording deleted after the transcriptions have been completed or checked, which should be within one month post interview. The transcribed materials will be anonymised and will not include any identifiable information about you or your workplace. 

To thank you for your participation, you will receive a £20 e-voucher, which will be emailed to you after the interview.   

Why is it important? 

It is hoped that this work can potentially inform future working guidance about how to best support CHD professional’s mental health and wellbeing. In addition, people who take part in interview studies often enjoy or find some satisfaction in talking about their experiences.

How can I find out more?

GMMH is a Participant Identification Centre (PIC) for this study, meaning that we do not carry out the research. If you are interested in taking part in this study, please review the Key Documents and contact the lead researcher (details at the bottom of this page). 

You can find out more information about taking part in this study by downloading the key documents at the top of this page. If you are interested in taking part in the study, you can take part in the online survey here.

If you have questions for the research team, click the button below to email them:

Email the research team