Profiling referrals to a trauma support service: needs and outcomes for staff working in a secure adult developmental disorder pathway

Abstract

Purpose Forensic health-care workers are frequently exposed to behaviours that challenge and traumatic material, with notably high levels in developmental disorder (DD) services. The provision of support is key in alleviating distress and improving work functioning. This paper aims to incite clarity on whether staff in DD services are more likely to access trauma support. The prevailing needs and outcomes for this population are also explored. Design/methodology/approach Data was extracted retrospectively from a database held by an internal trauma support service (TSS) for staff working in a secure psychiatric hospital. Overall, 278 permanent clinical staff accessed the TSS between 2018 and 2020, 102 (36.7%) of whom worked in an adult DD forensic inpatient service. Findings Staff working in DD services were over-represented in referrals to the TSS with a greater number of referrals per bed in DD services than in non-DD services (0.94 vs 0.33). DD staff were comparatively more likely to access support for non-physical, psychologically traumatic experiences. Psychological needs and outcomes following support were comparable between staff across services. Practical implications The findings highlight the more frequent need for trauma support of staff in forensic inpatient DD settings. Embedding a culture of safety and openness, and establishing appropriate and responsive models of staff support reflect key priorities for inpatient DD health-care providers, for the universal benefit of the organisation, workforce and service users. Originality/value This study offers novel insight into levels of access to support for staff working with people with DDs.