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WORRYING figures have revealed that almost one in five members of staff at the region’s ambulance service have been forced off work due to stress.
The shocking figure equates to 17 per cent of all staff at the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust being signed off work – representing a seven per cent increase in the last five years.
The service has committed to supporting staff by hiring qualified counsellors to provide treatment, ensuring the management team refers employees to a programme which provides psychological support, as well as committing to delivering a “strategic transformation programme”.
The figures were revealed in a freedom of information request by the BBC, and comes a month after the service was ordered to pay a sacked worker £96,000 in compensation.
Mechanic Gordon Flemming, from Norwich, won a case of unfair dismissal against the East of England Ambulance Service, after he lost his job following a battle with mental health issues.
A spokesman for the service said: “Awareness of mental health has increased and there has been a great drive to get people talking and being open about when they are having difficulty.
“More people are being trained in spotting the signs, knowing what to look out for in themselves and others, and when to do something about it.
“Without stigma staff are able to openly discuss difficulties which means they are not needing to hide behind other ‘sickness’ reasons too.
“And we are all more careful about recording data accurately too.
“Following our signing of MIND’s Blue Light programme pledge over three years ago, we have worked hard to rid the trust of any stigma surrounding mental health.
“Staff have access to a range of services at the trust, which include occupational health, an employee assistance programme and a variety of other supportive services. We utilise the services of specialist trauma support therapists, who handle complex and sensitive issues well.
“The trust also runs a Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) service and we are very fortunate to have over 165 TRiM practitioners who help colleagues through early stages of trauma management, which can be a significant factor of stress-related absence.”
On Tuesday the service announced the appointment of a new board chair. Nicola Scrivings is succeeding interim chair Nigel Beverley.
She is joining from Cambridgeshire Community Service NHS trust where she has been chair for more than four years and has previously spent more than two decades with the Royal Mail progressing from sales, marketing and operational management to a number of director roles including four years as the regional operations director.
Ms Scrivings role will oversee the ambulance service’s consultation on new corporate strategy for providing safe and high quality patient care over the next five years and she will need to appoint a permanent chief executive officer.
“I am very excited to become the new chair of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust,” she said.
“I have already met many enthusiastic and committed colleagues who are absolutely focused on providing excellent care for people who need our support.
“I will make it my priority to spend time out and about, hearing directly from staff and volunteers on their thoughts on the challenges and priorities facing the trust.”
