Ambulance Victoria blasted for unsafe work culture

Ambulance Victoria’s toxic work culture has been slammed by the human rights watchdog in a review revealing “widespread” bullying and victimisation.

Ambulance Victoria has been slammed by the state’s human rights watchdog as having an “ingrained” culture of bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment.

On Tuesday, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission handed down its first report into workplace culture at Ambulance Victoria after a 13 month independent review.

The findings detail “widespread” reports of “incivility, disrespect, discrimination, sexual harassment, bullying and victimisation” across the organisation.

The review was requested by Ambulance Victoria in October last year after the paramedics’ union and workers spoke out against an unsafe culture.

The commission surveyed 2163 Ambulance Victoria workers, finding 52 per cent had experienced bullying and 47 per cent had been discriminated against.

Nearly 35 per cent said they had been victimised and 17 per cent had been sexually harassed while at work.

One Ambulance Victoria employee was quoted in the review stating: “Who would’ve guessed the most traumatic thing I’ve experienced and witnessed as a paramedic was workplace behaviour?”

Ambulance Victoria chief executive Tony Walker. Picture: Twitter

The commission found “certain behaviours, particularly everyday forms of disrespect, have seeped into the fabric of the organisation”.

Women and those from diverse backgrounds were at heightened risk of experiencing sexual harassment and discrimination.

“It’s very much – you’ve got to be aggressive and alpha and mean and rude. This is how this whole thing started, I believe … then once it happens to someone, they think, ‘well, I went through it, so you can go through it’. (A) rite of passage,” said one interview participant.

The commission made 24 recommendations including a focus on improving safety and harm prevention, developing a victim-centred and fair reporting and complaints system, engaging workers to develop new organisational values and strengthening workplace structures to implement reform.

Victorian Ambulance Union general secretary Danny Hill said the report had “clearly captured” the “extreme levels” of harm and distress caused by “incivility, disrespect, discrimination, sexual harassment, bullying and victimisation”.

Mr Hill said Ambulance Victoria needed to ensure their apology was backed by tangible outcomes, adding that Ambulance Victoria had previously failed to deliver on recommendations.

“We have some members who are now a shell of their former, confident selves. They deserve an apology, but apologies need to be backed by tangible outcomes. Otherwise, it is just words,” Mr Hill said.

“We need tangible outcomes. This won’t be delivered by catchphrases and slogans. There needs to be genuine change to AV in every aspect of its operation so that employee welfare is put before KPIs.

“Organisations should not be exempt from improvement because they are an emergency service”.

Ambulance union boss Danny Hill says the apology needs to be backed by tangible outcomes.

Mr Hill said employees were still suffering, adding that the union was still supporting members dealing with Ambulance Victoria’s Professional Conduct Unit.

In the last three weeks, Mr Hill said the union had spoken with two MICA paramedics who are having difficulty getting support when returning from parental leave, while other members are unable to finish their shift on time.

He welcomed a “major overhaul” of the PCU and the development of a new independent Specialised Support Unit and Workplace Harm Unit.

“The current PCU has fundamental flaws, major delays on simple matters and a lack of skilled investigators. Reforming the PCU is long overdue,” he added.

“The wrong behaviours have been modelled for a long-time breeding intolerance and disrespect through the whole organisation. If senior people are not capable of modelling the right behaviours, then they should not be in the organisation”.

Health Minister Martin Foley said the “shocking” report had officially put Ambulance Victoria on notice.

“Every Victorian, no matter where they work, deserves a workplace that is safe, respectful and inclusive,” Mr Foley said.

“Ambulance Victoria, an organisation that is charged with the care and support of people right across the state, failed to provide that level of support to its own employees and first responders.

“That’s not acceptable.”

Everyday forms of disrespect have ‘seeped into the fabric’ of Ambulance Victoria, the report reveals. Picture: David Geraghty

Mr Foley said the more than 250 Ambulance Victoria past and present employees who came forward were the “true heroes” in stepping forward to drive cultural change.

He said the Victorian government would work closely with Ambulance Victoria to ensure the report’s recommendations were implemented.

“Cultural change needs to happen … We will hold them to account in delivering on these recommendations,” he said.

“This is a time for heads to come together to drive change that needs to happen.

“The government will monitor the delivery of the initial 24 recommendations … and in our regular briefings with the Board and the CEO, we will tick those off.”

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said Victorians will never get the required help in an emergency if frontline paramedics are being bullied, sexually harassed and discriminated against in the workplace.

“With triple-0 delays, ambulance shortages, workplace bullying and widespread hospital ramping – Victoria’s emergency healthcare is in crisis,” Ms Crozier said.

“Victoria will never recover and rebuild while Daniel Andrews’ mismanagement of our healthcare system places Victorians’ lives at risk.

“What hope do Victorians have of getting a prompt, professional ambulance response when one in two staff are being bullied on the job?”

Ambulance Victoria accepted all 24 recommendations to improve how the organisation can prevent and respond to discrimination, sexual harassment, bullying and victimisation.

Ambulance Victoria chief executive Tony Walker said he was “deeply confronted” by stories shared by staff with the commission.

“To those people, past and present, who have been subjected to behaviours and actions that are not consistent with our values, I unreservedly apologise,” he said.