Sasha Johnston

Ambulance staff  experience higher rates of mental ill health and suicide than the general population. My NIHR funded DPhil research in Experimental Psychology tests whether time at work for emergency ambulance employee well-being is acceptable and feasible and will help to improve employee outcomes. We examine cultural influences and norms within the profession that create barriers to help-seeking behaviours.

Framed by organisational and behaviour change theories, ambulance staff, patient and public representatives, and subject-matter experts views and perceptions underpin this multi-study research programme. The aim is to design a structured intervention to facilitate and normalise reflective conversations about work-related experiences through a dedicated and structured space during work hours. This approach seeks to align with the professional identity of ambulance workers, promoting proactive, rather than reactive organisational models of employee care, whilst normalising self-care and help-seeking behaviours.

I am an experienced HCPC registered paramedic who was awarded the inaugural Chief Allied Health Professions (AHP) Officer Gold Award for Excellence in 2024. Prior to my DPhil, I held various clinical and strategic roles across UK and Caribbean ambulance services, including frontline lead paramedic, practice mentor, and project team member for the UK’s first Ambulance Hazardous Area Response Team.

I work as a Research Paramedic and Academic Support Lead for SWASFT. I also serve as a Senior Mental Health Lead and completed a Health Education England (HEE) AHP Clinical Fellowship, during which I led two HEE-funded initiatives developed in partnership with multiple healthcare, voluntary sector, and higher education institution organisations. One project focused on recovery navigation to enhance mental health outcomes for 999 service users, which won the 2024 South West Integrated Personalised Care Award. The other included development of remote, scenario-based simulation training to support innovative approaches in student paramedic education.

I serve on several steering committees as a subject matter expert and advocate for the mental health of emergency service workers. I believe that person-centred approaches and co-production are critical in bridging the gap between staff and the services designed to support them.

As a DPhil student in the department of Experimental Psychology, I am supervised by Professor Jennifer Wild, Professor Lucy Bowes, and Associate Professor Polly Waite.