LONG hours, staff shortages, and the mental demands of the job are placing an enormous burden on ambulance workers in the North-East as nearly nine in ten (90 per cent) say they are suffering with stress, according to a new survey.

The survey by Unison is published ahead of the union’s annual health conference in Liverpool.

The survey – of 141 ambulance workers in the North-East – reveals that more than three-quarters (77 per cent) said they suffered with sleep problems as a result of stress, almost seven in ten (68 per cent) said they felt irritable and experienced mood swings, and more than half (53 percent) suffered from anxiety.

Almost four in ten (39 per cent) said they had to take time off sick because of work-related stress and almost a quarter (24 per cent) admitted they were very close to doing so.

A spokeswoman for the North East Ambulance Service said: “The welfare of staff is one of our highest priorities. Unfortunately the whole of the UK is currently experiencing a shortage of paramedics, which is not helping. The North East Ambulance Service hopes to recruit another 140 fully qualified paramedics by 2016, which should alleviate some of the strain. However competition to hire paramedics is fierce, and there are no quick-fixes.

“In the meantime, a new tier of paramedic management will be introduced by NEAS from next month.”

However, one North-East paramedic said: “Sometimes we work six to eight hours without a break. I often drive to work feeling edgy, I have headaches and I feel anxious. It takes me longer than before to recover after a run of shifts and on occasions I feel moody and stressed around my family and that’s not fair to them.”

Another ambulance worker in the region said: “I feel that all the late calls and lack of breaks is having a detrimental affect on my lifestyle, and more importantly upon my children."

A third ambulance worker said: “I am a former army combat medic with tours of Afghanistan. I was less stressed [then].”

Half those responding (50 per cent) admitted they did not tell their employer that they were off sick with stress.

More than four in five of the respondents (83 per cent) admitted they had thought about leaving the job.

Unison's North-East head of health Trevor Johnston said: “The pressure on ambulance staff is reaching dangerously high levels. Higher call out rates and lengthy waits outside A&E departments are adding to the problem.”