AN inspirational health guru, who trains railway staff how to recover after horrific incidents, has won a major award.

Sally Walden, a BUPA occupational health advisor based in York, has won one of the company's national One Life awards for her groundbreaking work teaching GNER rail staff how to cope after appalling incidents like train crashes or suicides on the line - before they happen.

Sally began her work after helping traumatised train staff after the crashes at Great Heck and Hatfield.

She was also involved helping rail employees caught up in last year's London bombings.

"After the Hatfield crash, I supported train crew, the ones who were involved in it, specifically looking after them and helping them get back to work in whatever way was appropriate, and advising managers," she said.

"People who went out on site were affected quite profoundly by it. It can range from a normal reaction to any kind of accident, to developing deep psychological problems - but they're very much in the minority.

"GNER as a company has made great inroads in trauma care. It's recognising the need for letting people know what support is out there and getting that access to them - that it's there if they need it."

Sally's work after the Hatfield and Great Heck crashes of 2000 and 2001 involved talking to rail employees, from platform to train staff, soon afterwards and helping them get back to work.

With a colleague, Sarah Purdy, she launched a new training programme for trainee rail drivers which was designed to give them a full picture of the support that was available to them if they were caught up in a critical incident.

Sally said the programme had been a success.

"I've had a lot of very positive feedback, we're now getting more referrals from people who've had traumatic incidents, they know what's out there for them," she said.

Her work in setting up pre-incident awareness training has won praise from the Health and Safety Executive, which described it as "unique and forward thinking".

She beat off competition from hundreds of other BUPA employees to carry off her award, given to staff members who came up with the most creative business ideas.

Catherine Brown, managing director of BUPA Wellness said: "Sally's work with individuals who have been exposed to traumatic experiences has been recognised as groundbreaking.

"The positive effect she has on people's lives at a time when they are at their most vulnerable cannot be underestimated."

Sally's programme is now planned to be rolled out to other rail companies.