Beyond the emergency: A national study of ambulance responses to men’s mental health

Men in Australia experience high rates of mental health issues (including anxiety, depression, psychosis,
self-harm and alcohol and other drug related harms), but they are often hesitant to seek professional
help. Beyond the Emergency identified that acute male mental health presentations to ambulance
services are both frequent and complex, with paramedics feeling that they are poorly equipped to
respond effectively. Men who accessed ambulance services for mental health issues felt they required
more from paramedics than simply being transported to hospital. Findings consistently highlight a
service system that is not working – for men or ambulance services.