Australian male suicide rate TRIPLES as 30,000 ambulances are called out to help struggling men

The epidemic we can’t ignore: Australian men’s suicide rate jumps as 30,000 ambulances are called out to attend to them each year

  • New data shows suicide call outs are three times higher than previously thought
  • The revelation came as a new study used ambulance data not just hospital data  
  • Only 14 per cent of paramedics said they were properly trained for mental health
  • Former PM Julia Gillard said it shows how little we know about mental health 

Over 30,000 ambulances are called out per year for Australian men attempting to take their lives – highlighting the country’s spiraling rate of male suicides.

The latest figures show that 82 ambulances were called per day between July 2015 and June 2016, more than three times what hospital emergency department data had previously recorded.

The current national figures show that six Australian men take their lives everyday, a figure that Movember’s Brendan Maher said is both ‘devastating and unacceptable’. 

Over 30,000 ambulances have been called out just this year for Australian men attempting to take their lives, more than three times the previously listed amount

The significant increase in callouts is partially due to the way suicide had previously been recorded, with hospital emergency departments only able to list one reason for the patient’s treatment. 

That often meant the physical injury caused by a suicide attempt was listed as the reason for the emergency – rather than the person’s mental health issues. 

The figures come from a study known as Beyond the Emergency, backed by Beyond Blue and Movember, that looked specifically at ambulance data and it said painted a more realistic look at the male mental health crisis. 

Beyond Blue Chair and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard said it shows 'what we know about male suicide is just the tip of the iceberg'

Beyond Blue Chair and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard said it shows ‘what we know about male suicide is just the tip of the iceberg’

‘This research tells us that suicide-related presentations to our health services by men triple when measured by ambulance data rather than hospital data alone,’ said Beyond Blue Chair and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard said.

‘It tells us that what we know about male suicide is just the tip of the iceberg.’  

The figures also highlighted that only 14 per cent of paramedics received comprehensive training for mental health presentations and two out of three felt they were not able to talk to patients about their issues.

Paramedics also reported a lack of training on dealing with patients under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and were often unable to read how much of their behaviour resulted from what they had consumed as opposed to their mental health.

The issue was considered as especially concerning because two out of three cases involve a patient under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 

Tony Walker the CEO of Ambulance Victoria said the report showed the magnitude and complexity of male suicide.

The new figures show that 82 ambulances were called per day between July 2015 and June 2016

The new figures show that 82 ambulances were called per day between July 2015 and June 2016

‘In recent years we have significantly increased training on how to care for patients in these situations, but acknowledge we have more to do, in both training of staff but also in exploring the best care models for people,’ Mr Walker said.

Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman said the new figures revealed ‘the urgent need for system reform’.

‘We must stop the revolving door of acute presentations to hospital emergency departments by valuing and investing more in community-based supports and alternative pathways to deal with immediate crisis,’ she said. 

Turning Point and Monash University Professor Dan Lubman, who led the research project, agreed there needed to be more sensitive and flexible ways to help suicidal men.

‘If they don’t have life-threatening injuries, they shouldn’t be at emergency departments yet paramedics feel they have too few alternatives,’ Prof. Lubman said. ‘Our paramedics need more support and people with acute mental health issues or who feel suicidal need better models of care.’  

Only 14 per cent of paramedics said they were properly trained for mental health and experts have called for more training

Only 14 per cent of paramedics said they were properly trained for mental health and experts have called for more training 

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