New organisation set up in Rutland to support emergency workers
It comes as over half of paramedics suffer from burnout
A new organisation has been set up in Leicestershire and Rutland to offer support for emergency workers.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub helpline has been established to be there for workers who so often forget about themselves when caring for other people.
It comes as a study published in the Journal of Paramedic Practice found that over half of paramedics suffer from burnout and high stress levels.
Part of the reasoning included staggered meal breaks and the constant extension of their shifts, which leave many struggling with stress and anxiety.
It forms yet another stress for emergency responders who often have to deal with violence, injury and even death when they get called out.
Matt Alexander from the Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland told Bauer Media that so often, the motivation to look after those can mean caregivers themselves can get overlooked.
"Emergency workers know that they have to do a vital job and will do that job to the best of their ability, regardless of the circumstances and it's the drive to keep going," he said.
"But when you have the drive to keep going, sometimes that's when you can overlook how you're coping yourself."
Mr Alexander hopes that the helpline will help to combat the mental health crisis among emergency workers and create better coping mechanisms.
"If we can start to help people recognise what the symptoms might be and where they can get help in advance to take better steps to look after themselves, then we might be able to keep the number of those seeking referrals down," he added.