Your role is one of the hardest there is. You don’t know what you might face when you get called out, what you or a colleague might hear when you pick up the phone, or what will be being discussed when you turn up for your shift. You might find some incidents, ideas or thoughts stay with you for a long time.
Talking to friends and family can be very helpful. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to get others to imagine what you’ve been through. And while your colleagues might understand, now and then it can feel easier to talk about feelings with people you don’t know.
“Please, seek help or support if you are struggling. It just takes one message to someone or a call to say ‘I’m not okay’.”
If you want to talk to someone who understands what it is like in the ambulance service, you can call The Ambulance Staff Charity on 02477 987 922, available 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. They’ll be able to talk you through support and signpost you to further options.
If you prefer the idea of talking by text, you could also contact Shout. They provide a dedicated support service just for emergency service workers, which you can access by texting BLUELIGHT to 85258 any time.
The Ambulance Staff Charity (TASC) provides services to support the mental health, physical rehabilitation, and financial wellbeing of the UK’s ambulance staff, their family members, students, and ambulance service volunteers. You can call their wellbeing team on 02477 987 922, 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Shout is the UK’s free 24/7 crisis text line.
They provide a dedicated support service to help emergency services staff look after their own mental health and wellbeing as they work to protect the country in situations that can often be traumatic.
Simply text BLUELIGHT to 85258 to talk by text with one of their trained crisis volunteers.
Whatever you’re going through, Samaritans are there to listen – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Samaritans offer a safe place for you to talk any time you like, in your own way – about whatever’s getting to you. They won’t judge you or tell you what to do, they’ll listen to you.
Essential services staff who are working on the frontlines can call free on 116 123 to speak in confidence with a trained listening volunteer.
The CALM helpline is there for anyone who needs to talk confidentially about a tough time they are experiencing. Calls are taken by trained staff who are there to listen, support, inform and signpost you to further information. The helpline is open from 5pm to midnight every day, 365 days a year. It is free to call from any landline.
Call the CALM helpline on 0800 58 58 58
