Emergency Responders Mental Health and Wellbeing Symposium 2026

A collaborative event supported by the National Fire Chiefs Council, the National Police Wellbeing Service, The Royal College of Paramedics, Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, Mountain Rescue England and Wales, National Emergencies Trust, the Royal Foundation and wider blue light partners.
This year’s symposium will focus on the mental health and wellbeing of volunteers (often described as unpaid professionals) who give their time either on the frontline or in support roles within emergency response organisations. Organisations represented will include fire, police, ambulance, mountain, cave and lowland search and rescue, lifeboat, and coastguard services.

We invite senior leaders from these organisations, those who organise and deliver wellbeing support, and volunteers themselves to attend what will be an opportunity to hear evidence of good practice, learn about current provision, and discuss how support might be further developed.

The keynote address will be delivered by Gary Hayes, CEO and co-founder of PTSD999 (www.ptsd-999.com). This will be followed by an overview presentation from Laura McGladrey (Founder of Responder Alliance, www.responderalliance.com) and Gill Moreton (The Rivers Centre for Traumatic Stress, NHS Lothian). Their session will set out key principles, shared language, and a universal foundation of wellbeing practices applicable to both paid and unpaid emergency response professionals. The presentation will include learning from work and research conducted at the University of Colorado with unpaid professionals, with clear application to paid emergency response roles. The speakers will present universal principles drawn from the literature, best practice, and clinical insight, which extend beyond the context of any single organisation.

Presenters from a range of emergency service wellbeing support services will then outline the support they currently provide, highlighting how their organisations have evolved and innovated in response to emerging needs. Finally, there will be an opportunity to discuss whether—and how—these key principles can be shared and embedded across UK emergency response organisations.

The Emergency Responders Health and Wellbeing symposium is an annual event led by the Emergency Services Senior Leadership Board, comprising of key agencies working in and around emergency services. The Board was founded by the Prince of Wales through his Royal Foundation.

We look forward to seeing you there.
Target Audience: Fire, police, ambulance, mountain, cave and lowland search and rescue, lifeboat, and coastguard services.
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