First responders are up to five times more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder than those in the wider community, says paramedic Lauren Hepher.
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But Ms Hepher, who is also ambulance employees sub-branch president of the Health and Community Services Union, said it was difficult to determine just how prevalent PTSD was in the workforce.
On Thursday, Opposition Leader Rebecca White announced that, if elected, Labor would adopt presumptive PTSD legislation.
Ms White said that currently, when personnel were applying for workers’ compensation, they had to prove that their PTSD was caused because of their experiences in the workforce.
She said Labor would also implement on-the-job mental health checks and improved workplace support and training.
“We know that our first responders are more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder,” Ms White said.
“We know that first responders are going to be more likely to be exposed to traumatic incidences, so in recognition of that, we would lay the onus of burden on the employer as opposed to the employee.
“They’re suffering enough and to claim workers’ compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder is a very onerous process, it can be incredibly harrowing.”
But government spokesman Jeremy Rockliff said the government was already investing $1.5 million each year to provide mental and physical health programs for first responders.
“If Labor was serious about supporting our paramedics, then they would have supported minimum mandatory sentences for those people that assault paramedics,” Mr Rockliff said.
“What we are doing also is ensuring that we are investing in the health and well-being of our first responders.”
Ms Hepher said that for first responders, having to put in a workers’ compensation claim for PTSD often meant reliving the trauma.
“If there were a better program that supported us before we got to the point of having to take stress leave I think that would be much better for everybody,” she said.
“If there’s a percentage of us off on sick leave it means that those shifts have to be filled by overtime in a system that’s already struggling.
“While you’re already sick … you then have to prove to someone that you’re sick enough to get a workers’ compensation claim – it has to change.”
