Former Qld ambulance officer’s shock allegations in $800k lawsuit

A small-town ambulance paramedic says he’s been left traumatised by attending accidents where his own friends were the victims and claims the Queensland Ambulance Service ignored his pleas for help.

Former Paramedic Peter Solomon. Picture: David Martinelli.

A small-town ambulance paramedic left mentally scarred after attending accidents where his own friends were the victims has alleged the Queensland Ambulance Service ignored its own protocols in dealing with his work-related trauma.

Peter Solomon, 58, an ambulance worker who has made the Queen’s Birthday honours list for his service to the community, is now suing the service for more than $800,000, alleging the service failed to support him after he received work related psychiatric injuries

The QAS has strenuously defended its in-house staff support service which the service says has trained over 800 employees in ways of identifying and assisting colleagues staff who are dealing with job related stress.

Mr Solomon was transferred to QAS station in Texas in the Goondiwindi district in 2008 and promoted to officer-in-charge in 2015, becoming one of just three Queensland paramedics who received recognition for his community service in the Queen’s Birthday 2021 Honours List.

Yet Mr Solomon says the succession of horrific accidents he was required to attend as the only paramedic in town, often treating personal friends and acquaintances, has led to psychiatric injury.

He has an 80 page psychological assessment detailing how he will never work again, yet has so far been denied a disability pension.

Paramedic Peter Solomon. Source: Maurice Blackburn Lawyers.

He takes antidepressant medication, attends psychological counselling and occupational therapy assessments and cannot hear the sound of an ambulance siren without experiencing an anxiety attack.

Mr Solomon said he had attended a traumatic burns incident in which a woman sustained burns to more than 75 per cent of her body which left him so mentally scarred he could not stand the smell of burnt meat.

He had also attended an accident involving a mechanic who was an acquaintance who had suffered significant head and spinal injuries after a motorbike accident and held the hand of a woman as she died after becoming trapped under a car.

Mr Solomon has acknowledged the incidents were all part of a working life he had entered into knowingly from a military background where he had encountered death and trauma in rescue and recovery missions.

“If you were to tell me 10 years ago I would suffer something like this I would have said ‘no way, I have no problem doing my job,’’ he said.

But Mr Solomon, through his lawyer Alison Grimley, Senior Associate with Maurice Blackburn’s Toowoomba office, are alleging Mr Solomon did not receive proper debriefing support while the service failed to follow its own protocols.

Specifically, Mr Solomon’s legal team is alleging the QAS “Priority One’’ program, designed to support workers suffering work associated trauma and “encourage an understanding and confidence that confidential support would be offered without consequences for employment or negative stigma’’ had been disregarded.

Paramedic Peter Solomon. Source: Maurice Blackburn Lawyers.

Instead, Mr Solomon alleges a superior officer, when told of Mr Solomon’s trauma, said words to the effect of:

“What do you want me to do about it? You knew what you were getting into. If you don’t like it, then leave.’’

It is also alleged the superior officer was yelling during the encounter, appeared angry and stood over Mr Solomon who was seated during the encounter.

Mr Solomon said while his former colleagues were and remain supportive, he did not believe QAS management honoured the service’s commitment to caring for trauma impacted staff.

“I do not believe the QAS was sincere in its commitment to its role.’’

The Queensland Ambulance Service said in a statement it could not make a comment specific to the case because the matter was before the Court.

“However, the QAS is committed to supporting and promoting the good mental health and psychological wellbeing of all of our employees,’’ the QAS said.

“We understand that by the very nature of the important work that QAS personnel undertake every day in providing care across our community to our patients in need, there are times where our officers may be faced with potentially confronting situations.

“In recognition of this, and the need to support ambulance personnel, the QAS has established a range of longstanding and effective staff support services, which are designed to be both sensitive and responsive to the needs of our people; especially following confronting or serious incidents.’’

Director of staff support services Priority One, Todd Wehr, said Priority One was a 32 year old program which has trained around 850 ambulance staff in peer support.

Mr Wehr said the program was constantly updated, and was so successful it had been replicated by organisations in London and New Zealand as well as airlines and even a media organisation.

“We do have a high utilisation of Peer Support because people do trust it,’’ he said.

ends.