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PP34 A feasibility study of group music therapy for NHS ambulance service staff with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), PTSD-like symptoms, and anxiety

emermed · 2026-06-08 · canonical JSON source

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Background Mental ill health is an important issue within the ambulance service workforce. Ambulance services offer a broad array of support for staff experiencing mental ill health. Group Neurologic Music Therapy® has been used in other contexts such as with military veterans, but both the treatment modality and group programme format have not been used in our service, giving uncertainty to its transferability.Methods We conducted a feasibility study testing group music therapy within an English NHS ambulance service in 2022-2023. Inclusion criteria were that participants were staff or volunteers in any role within the Trust, experiencing some or all of the following symptoms: stress or anxiety; poor quality sleep; nightmares; reoccurring thoughts; flashbacks; anger; difficulty concentrating; negative thoughts. Exclusion criteria were: those currently receiving or expected to commence cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) or similar talking therapies. We offered 4 programme groups of up to 6 participants each. Each group comprised 12 face-to-face weekly sessions of 1-hour neurologic music therapy. The programme was advertised in staff newsletters, internal social media, and through Health and Wellbeing events. Data collected included: Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Clinical Outcomes and Routine Evaluation, Outcome Rating Scale and Session Rating Scale. The study received Health Research Authority approval, was fully funded by the Trust’s charitable fund and there was no charge to participate.Results 13 potential participants formally expressed interest in the therapy and were provided participant information documents. Of these, 2 participants attended the first session, but were unable to continue the programme, one due to ill health and one due to work commitments. The programme was discontinued in March 2023.Conclusion We were unable to demonstrate the feasibility of group Neurologic Music Therapy® within this ambulance service. Further research could consider alternative treatment modalities or programme formats.