Greater risk … the confronting and traumatic nature of the job means ambulance officers are at greater risk of mental illness. Source: News Limited
LIFE on the frontline for a paramedic involves long and gruelling hours, fatigue and pretty traumatic conditions, responding to a whole host of critical health emergencies.
Tonight, SBS 2 news program The Feed will explore another shocking side to the ambulance sector — a great risk of suicide and mental illness.
Producer Ben Rylan discovered that for paramedics, the deep emotional toll of the job can have tragic personal consequences.
Serious issue … ambulance industry representatives have called for greater welfare support systems for paramedics. Source: News Limited
Looking at Victoria, where there have been a spate of ambulance officer suicides in the past few years, he found anecdotal evidence of significantly higher suicide rates compared to the rest of the population.
One of the men Rylan met while preparing his story was Victorian ambulance officer Dave Toll, who has lost 10 of his colleagues to suicide in the past six or seven years.
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“The fatigue, the 10 hours with no breaks, the 14-hour night shifts, the missing of family events … these guys are paramedics because they want to help people,” Toll told The Feed.
“It’s why they do the job … and they push themselves too far.”
Heavy loss … ambulance officer Dave Toll speaks out about the conditions on the frontline for paramedics. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
There are moves underway to better support workers but for many, the push to address the serious issue of mental health is too little, too late.
Cath Mok shares her frustrations with the industry’s support for mental health. She didn’t understand the impact her partner Helen’s job as a paramedic had on her, until she took her own life.
“There were a few accidents that she went to that she found very disturbing … things like picking up body parts off the road,” she said.
“I can imagine if teachers took their lives at the same rate, there would be a much bigger response.”
Tough conditions … long hours, confronting conditions and traumatic experiences can take a heavy toll on ambulance officers. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
Another ambulance officer Nicole tells the program of her own battle with mental illness
“I had a bunch of suicide plans … it’s something that I’ve often talked to other paramedics about.”
A report in The Age newspaper in 2012 found suicide rates among paramedics in Victoria were about 20 times higher than the wider population.
A spate of deaths in the past few years has sparked demands from industry representatives for an overhaul of the sector.
Research underway … Ambulance Victoria says it is exploring ways rosters can be adjusted to ease the burden on staff. Picture: Bill Hearne Source: News Corp Australia
Ambulance Victoria told The Feed it had commenced research on how rosters can be changed to reduce shift length while still meeting service delivery obligations.
“We support and manage fatigue for our staff in a variety of ways including education, policies and procedures relating to end of shift strategies, minimum rest breaks between shifts, meal break management, and opportunities for paramedics to take fatigue breaks,” a spokesman said.
The Feed airs on SBS 2 tonight at 7.30pm.
If you, or someone you know needs help, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Originally published as Why do so many ambos suicide?