Victorian Ambulance Union Criticizes Government's Mental Health Response Plan

The Victorian government has announced that paramedics will become the first responders to mental health call-outs, rather than police, in an effort to improve health outcomes for patients and free up police to focus on crime.

The plan, which aims to transition to a health-led response to mental crisis incidents, has been met with criticism from the Victorian Ambulance Union, which claims it was not consulted about the directive.

Under the new protocols, paramedics will be the first responders to call-outs whenever possible, with police and protective services officers moving to a support role. The government says this will ensure faster and more effective health care, while freeing up police to focus on crime.

Government assures paramedics will be supported

"When someone is experiencing a mental health crisis, they deserve a response that puts their health and wellbeing first while keeping them and the community safe," Health Minister Ingrid Stitt said.

"We're making sure our paramedics, mental health workers and police are in step to deliver a health-led response that is patient centred."

Union concerns about paramedic safety

However, Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill expressed concerns about the risks to paramedics, saying, "We haven't been consulted, the workforce hasn't been consulted."

"I found out more about this through the media. There's a panic on now, I think. They've realised they haven't consulted, and there's a few meetings in the diary, but I know more about this from the media release than I do from them."

Mr Hill said the details he had read sounded like a better outcome for patients, but he was concerned about the risks to paramedics. "We've always supported a health-led response … but for the vast majority of cases, it does need to be a co-response between ambulance and police."

"They're really complicated cases to attend and they're often the cases where our members experience harm, aggression and violence, so freeing up police from those cases is going to be pretty alarming to our members."