Sick police officers waiting up to two years for places in PTSD treatment programs

HUNDREDS of sick cops are waiting up to two years for a place in one of the state’s most sought after post traumatic stress disorder treatment programs.

Retired Ballarat police officer Ian ‘Dizzy’ Harris waited a year and a half to start the PTSD program after his referral.

HUNDREDS of sick cops are waiting up two years for a place in one of the state’s most sought after post traumatic stress disorder treatment programs.

Austin Health’s specialised police officer PTSD program has been inundated with more than 130 referrals in the last five years, with only eight spots filled every three months — documents obtained under Freedom of Information show.

The Herald Sun can reveal one police officer waited up to 22 months to start the program in 2013, after being referred in July 2011.

Police officers are also waiting an average of six months for a place in the program.

The findings come after the release of the Victoria Police Mental Health review, which recommends greater access to mental health programs for police officers.

Retired Ballarat police officer Ian ‘Dizzy’ Harris waited a year and a half to start the program after his referral.

“I got into the program in November 2005 and started 18 months later,” he said.

Dizzy is known for shooting dead notorious underworld figure James Edward ‘Jockey’ Smith outside a pub in central Victoria in 1992 — an event that triggered his PTSD.

Notorious criminal Edward "Jockey" Smith in custody in 1983 over murder of bookmaker Lloyd Tidmarsh. Picture: John Hawryluk

The hero cop said the eight week program he completed with Austin Health was worthwhile.

“If someone is diagnosed with PTSD, they should try and treat it as soon as they can,” he said.

Dizzy said more specialised PTSD services should be created across Victoria to allow more police greater access to group treatment programs.

Another former police officer, who did not want to be named, has been waiting six months to get a place in the outpatient program.

“I’ve been told I am on the priority list, but if someone comes in with a higher priority there is no doubt they will jump the queue,” he said.

“There are other private hospitals, but they don’t specialise in emergency services’ PTSD ... and they mix emergency services with people detoxing from drugs or having psychotic episodes.”

Earlier this month the Police Association and Ambulance Union called on the state government to recognise PTSD an occupational illness for emergency service workers to help speed up work cover claims.

Police Association secretary Ron Iddles said this recognition would allow quicker treatment.

“Given that members can’t access the excellent treatment made available by the Austin Hospital facility until they’ve had their work cover claim accepted, the wait time to access these crucial services tends to blow out significantly,” he said.

“The experts in the PTSD field tell us that immediate treatment will maximise the chances of sufferers making a full recovery and returning to work sooner.”

An Austin Health spokeswoman said the data included officers who had been offered a place in the program and chosen to defer.

“All patients who access our PTSD programs and inpatient services are prioritised on clinical need,” she said.

The spokeswoman said the group treatment program was one of many PTSD programs Austin Health offered. Those accessing the group treatment program can also see psychologists individually prior to group treatment.

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