New strategy for Lincolnshire and Newark's ambulance staff to address mental health issues
The service sees high levels of stress, anxiety and depression
A brand new strategy is being launched to help ambulance staff across Lincolnshire and Newark who've experienced severe mental health difficulties because of the major pressures they're under.
The Covid pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis have increased levels of anxiety, stress and depression amongst staff with some even considering suicide.
The strategy seeks to reduce the rate of suicides within the service and reduce the number of mental health and musculoskeletal absences through early intervention.
Staff operate in an extremely challenging environment
A support network for staff who have retired or left the service will also be formed.
Other work includes mental health first aid training and ensuring that the trust collects data on suicides.
East Midlands Ambulance Service saw an increase in sickness levels during the pandemic and the main reasons given by staff for sickness were anxiety, stress and depression and musculoskeletal absences.
It says it is also introducing a Health Ambassador role to start conversations with staff around general health and wellbeing.
EMAS already offers 24/7 counselling for staff as well as musculoskeletal physiotherapy.
Papers stated that “there is no doubt that staff within our organisation and the Ambulance sector in general operate in an extremely challenging environment which can impact on individual mental health and wellbeing”.
Health and wellbeing is a priority
Kerry Gulliver, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, said: “This strategy was developed in recognition that health and wellbeing is a priority.
“We’ve taken account of corporate engagement and also staff surveys, workshops with operational staff and trade union colleagues.”
Jackie Jones, associate non-executive director, said: “There’s a lot of mention of training for managers but how do we enable key members of staff to have difficult conversations which could save people?
“How do we enable everyone to have the confidence to have those conversations?”
It's not unknown for ambulance personnel to take their own lives
Barbara Crellin is a first responder with East Midlands ambulance service and says working conditions further add pressure to mental health.
She told us: "Mental health is a concern for employees and volunteers, some of the things they see would destroy anyone but not only that the pressure of work and the expectations are very high."
"It's not unknown for ambulance personnel to take their own lives and it affects everybody their workmates and their families and everything else and it's generally pressure of work."