Mental health issues take toll on emergency service workforce

MORE police officers are seeking help for mental health issues caused by the stress of the job, but Tasmania Police says it’s not necessarily a bad thing.

ALMOST ten per cent of the state’s police have active workers compensation claims, budget estimates hearing have been told.

There are 139 workers compensation cases current among Tasmania police members — including 59 officers incapacitated because of psychological issues.

Responding to questions from Labor MP Michelle O’Byrne, Tasmania Police Commissioner Darren Hine said increased reporting of psychological injuries was a sign of growing awareness and an increased willingness to seek help.

“We’re trying to take away the stigma in relation to psychological injury, because the mantra should be ‘it’s okay not to be okay’,” he said.

“I actually welcome and we support our officers who come forward to get the help that they need.

“So while we never want to see anyone injured psychologically, I think it’s a good thing that people are now coming forward and getting the help that they need.

“I think it’s fair to say that we’ve got a really good proactive support mechanism for those who are off — and not everyone is off on psychological claims or incapacitated out of that total number.

“But again, it’s about having police officers come forward and getting the help that they actually need and using those psychological and welfare things in place.”

Police, Fire and Emergency Management minister Jacquie Petrusma said not all of those who had made claims were off work.

“The government views this as a positive because we want our emergency services personnel to come forward and get the help that they need, so that they can remain at work,” she said.

“And I believe that of the claims that we’re talking about today, there’s only a small number who aren’t at work at the moment.

“While they might have these claims, many of them because of the health and wellbeing supports that the police will DPFEM around these officers, many of them are still able to work.”

Ms Petrusma said Tasmania Police in stations which were open 24 hours a day would soon start working a four-day-on, four-day-off roster — the first police service in the nation to do so.

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