PTSD, available support and development of services in the UK Ambulance Service

Abstract

Abstract published with permission. The role of front line ambulance staff in the UK has developed so rapidly that it is almost unrecognisable from days gone by, when scoop and run tactics were commonplace. With additional responsibilities, pressurised decision making and a range of sometimes complex interventions, unique pressures have also developed. The purpose of this article is to review pertinent information relating to how these additional pressures can metamorphose into specific conditions such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The prevalence of this and other debilitating conditions such as depression and anxiety specific to the ambulance service is reflected upon, whilst existing support from the ambulance service is examined. By broadening both knowledge and confidence relating to this increasingly significant problem, formulation of our own local improvements can take place in the near future.