ABSENCES due to mental health problems have risen in excess of 150% among ambulance staff since 2017, new figures indicate.
A freedom of information request – made by the Scottish LibDems – highlighted that 8356 days were lost to mental health-related issues in 2020, between 562 paramedics, technicians, and care assistants.
In contrast, figures from the Scottish Ambulance Service show that in 2017 the number was 3288 days between 294 members of staff.
This information comes days after the Scottish Parliament voted in favour of a LibDem motion to declare a mental health crisis in Scotland.
Party health spokesman, Alex Cole-Hamilton, said: “These figures show the tremendous toll that mental ill-health was taking before the pandemic on our brave paramedics, care assistants, and technicians.
“As they put themselves on the front line of the pandemic, it is little surprise that 2020 was tougher still for many of them.
“The pandemic radically changed their workload and how they approached each situation.”
READ MORE: Charity calls for radical mental health reform from next Scottish Government
New 24/7 mental health support for all health and social care staff went live in July.
Cole-Hamilton continued: “The declaration by the Parliament this week of a mental health crisis was an important moment.
“For the same reason MSPs have declared a climate emergency and a drugs death crisis, Parliament needed to do this to drive change, ramp up services and improve interventions and prevention.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “Our staff work incredibly hard, helping patients, and saving lives every day.
“We understand the pressures they face and during the pandemic we’ve increased the range of wellbeing support available to our staff.
“In addition, we continue to provide ongoing support and working with our staff we recently launched a new wellbeing strategy.”
In May the Scottish Government launched the national wellbeing hub – which has had over 70,000 users to date.
Additionally, a national wellbeing helpline, based in NHS 24, has been available for health and social care staff since July.
READ MORE:Concern over ‘brutal toll’ on police mental health being sidelined
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We value the tremendous job our ambulance service staff do in what can be exceptionally challenging circumstances.
“Like all of our frontline responders, their welfare and mental wellbeing is crucially important.
“We are working to increase capacity and reduce individual workload across the Ambulance Service – investing over £1 billion over the last four years and committing to training an additional 1000 paramedics.
“The Scottish Government is committed to working with NHS boards and health and social care partnerships to provide services to support all staff in these challenging times including a range of wellbeing and psychological support provision.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here