As World Suicide Prevention Day approaches, our CEO, Karl Demian, explores suicide prevention, the impact of ambulance work and where staff can find support.
This September, two important dates give us an opportunity to talk about suicide, remember those we have lost, and consider what more we can do to prevent suicide within our ambulance community.
The 10th of September is World Suicide Prevention Day, with this year’s theme, Changing the Narrative on Suicide, encouraging more open and compassionate conversations. One week later, the 17th of September is National Suicide Memorial Day for Health and Care Workers, providing an opportunity to remember healthcare workers who have died by suicide and recognise the impact of those losses.
The 17th is also the date of the National Ambulance Memorial Service; TASC’S annual service to remember and honour our ambulance family members no longer with us.
For TASC, these dates are about more than awareness. They’re an opportunity to highlight the impact that working in the ambulance service can have on mental health, the complex factors that can contribute to suicidal thoughts, and the importance of making sure ambulance staff can access the right support when they need it.
Working in an ambulance service can have a profound impact on mental health. The suicide rate among healthcare workers is 24% higher than the national average, while male paramedics face a 75% higher risk.
Ambulance staff routinely encounter traumatic situations, for example, serious injury and death. They can be exposed to distressing situations that stay with them long after a shift has ended, while also dealing with demanding workloads, pressure, fatigue and the physical challenges of the job. These experiences can take a significant toll.
However, suicide is complex, and there is rarely one single reason why someone reaches crisis point. The pressures of ambulance work can be one part of the picture, alongside relationship difficulties, bereavement, financial worries, family problems or other challenges in someone’s personal life. Through our work, TASC sees how these pressures intersect and how quickly someone who’s struggling can reach a point of crisis.
Suicide prevention is about more than responding when someone is in crisis. It’s also about recognising risk, encouraging people to seek help earlier and ensuring that appropriate support is available before someone reaches their darkest point.
Across the ambulance sector, work is taking place to improve our understanding of suicide, strengthen prevention and give staff the skills and confidence to talk about suicide and support colleagues. As a service provider, TASC’s role is to provide specialist support to ambulance staff when they need it.
TASC’s Ambulance Staff Crisis Phoneline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to ambulance workers experiencing suicidal thoughts. The service is independent and confidential and is staffed by qualified counsellors experienced in supporting blue-light workers.
Since launching in 2022, with the support of and in partnership with AACE, the service has supported ambulance staff facing a wide range of challenges, from traumatic experiences at work to relationship breakdowns and bereavement.
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1,500 calls answered from people in crisis since launch
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68 protective interventions for people who were in the process of taking their own life since launch
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8,800 hours of crisis support offered in the last year
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968 specialist support interventions provided for people with suicidality in the last year
When someone is at serious and imminent risk, our crisis phoneline can provide immediate intervention from qualified counsellors to help keep people safe as well as evidence-based support to help people reduce ongoing suicide risk, develop practical coping strategies and move beyond crisis.
For Beth, an Emergency Medical Technician, calling TASC came at a time when she was experiencing suicidal thoughts:
“TASC saved my life. Last year I was about to take my own life when I rang the Ambulance Staff Crisis Phoneline and spoke to a wonderful person for nearly an hour. TASC was there on my darkest day, and I’m still here today because of their support. Thank you doesn’t seem enough.”
Her story is a powerful reminder that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, and that one conversation can make all the difference.
There is still more to do to prevent suicide within the ambulance community. That means continuing to understand the factors that put ambulance staff at risk, having more open conversations about suicide and ensuring people can access timely, specialist support when they need it.
For ambulance staff experiencing suicidal thoughts, that support is available through TASC. If you’re struggling, please make the call. You don’t have to face it alone.
Ambulance Staff Crisis Phoneline
T: 0300 373 0898
W: www.theasc.org.uk/crisis
Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The Ambulance Staff Crisis Phoneline