Tasmania Police officers dropped from the force as a result of their PTSD believe the wellbeing support received after they were let go was inadequate, according to a Tasmanian psychiatrist.
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The police suicide coronial inquiry looking into the deaths of Constables Paul Hunt and Simon Darke, Senior Sergeant Paul Reynolds and Sergeant Robert Cooke heard from psychiatrist Yvonne Turnier-Shea, who gave evidence specifically in relation to her former patient Sgt Cooke.
Dr Turnier-Shea said she has treated ten police officers with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, eight of these could not return to work, one returned full time and another in a part-time capacity only.
She said her patients felt unsupported after being let go, telling her that the general support they received from Tasmania Police, including from welfare officers, was insufficient.
"Once they had entered workers compensations claim and it had become clear after a while that they weren't going to re-enter the police force...there had not been any contact or concerns raised, no checking in," Dr Turnier-Shea said.
"They were dropped by the force without any specific support provided."
Dr Turnier-Shea said conversations about mental health within the Tasmanian police force, and the de-stigmatisation of mental health issues, needed to be looked at.
"So people don't feel like they need to hide problems or symptoms."
Dr Turnier-Shea, who was Sgt Cooke's treating psychiatrist, said he suffered from severe PTSD rated as the most difficult kind, was on medication that did not mix well with alcohol, and was on treatment plans that included strategies to avoid his alcohol use.
The inquest heard that Sgt Cooke was on medication that did not mix well with alcohol, and that his treatments plans included strategies to avoid his alcohol use.
On the day of his death the inquest heard that Sgt Cooke had drinks at 8pm with a friend, and it was suggested that if he had kept on drinking until 11pm that this would put him at high risk of suicide.
Dr Turnier-Shea said she had seen Sgt Cooke on the day of his death and assessed that his mental health was well-presented, at that stage.
When asked whether his alcohol consumption on the day of his death was a "significant issue in the timing of his suicide", Dr Turnier-Shea agreed.
- A Tasmanian Lifeline (1800 98 44 34), Lifeline (13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467)
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