Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Background

In this Privacy Policy, reference to “we”, “us” or “our” is reference to Police Health Limited (ABN 86 135 221 519), a registered not for profit, restricted access private health insurer, including the brands Police Health and Emergency Services Health.  Reference to “you” or “your” is reference to a customer or a person insured under a private health insurance policy or having any contact or dealing with us.


Our primary purpose for collecting information is to conduct a health insurance business and any health related business, including the provision of goods and services either directly or through a third party. 


We are committed to maintaining the privacy of individuals whose information we collect in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988.  We aim to manage personal information that we collect in an open and transparent way.  This Privacy Policy describes how we manage personal information.  If you have any queries about the Policy or the manner in which personal information is managed, you may contact us for further information (contact details appear at the end of this Policy).


Collecting and holding personal information

We collect and hold personal information about people insured or interested in becoming insured under a health insurance policy, providers of health services, suppliers, contractors, people attending functions or events and other contacts to conduct our activities, understand and meet stakeholder needs and meet our legal obligations.  If you do not provide us with the information we ask for, we may not be able to perform these activities and functions, in particular relating to applications for health insurance cover, administering health insurance policies, providing relevant services, assessing and paying claims and meeting statutory reporting requirements.


An individual may deal anonymously with us when seeking general information about us and our products.  However, it is not practicable for individuals not to identify themselves, or to use a pseudonym, when dealing with us in relation to health insurance or claims.
We collect and hold the minimum personal information required to perform our functions and activities.  

This information may include:

  • Contact and identity information, such as names, addresses, age, gender, marital status and relationship details, employment details, government identifiers, passwords, telephone, mobile and facsimile numbers and email addresses.
  • Financial information, such as premiums, income, Australian Government Rebate on private health insurance tier level, bank account details, and employment details.
  • Sensitive information, such as information about claims, health services provided to you and your health.
  • Correspondence or correspondence details, verbal and written, hard copy or electronic.
  • Provider information, relating to their scope of practice.


Where possible, the information is collected from you, from a person or organisation authorised to provide the information on your behalf or from another person insured on your health insurance policy.  Information may also be collected from government agencies, business partners, contractors, employers, other private health insurers, other insurers and service providers.


In particular, when you make a claim, you consent to us collecting sensitive (health) information directly from third parties, or if the information relates to someone other than you on the health insurance policy, you give consent on behalf of that person and you must be authorised to do so.


Where you receive treatment at or by a hospital, our contracted third party, the Australian Health Service Alliance (www.ahsa.com.au) collects personal information about your claim to assist us in assessing and paying your claim and assisting us in meeting our statutory reporting requirements.


Personal information may be collected from a person acting on behalf of an insured person or from an organisation or person when authorised by a person acting on behalf of the insured person.  The circumstances of this collection usually relate to an application for a health insurance policy, amendments or additions to a health insurance policy, amendments or changes to personal details and when making claims under a health insurance policy.


Information may be collected by us by voice, electronically or in hard copy and is stored by us either electronically, in hard copy or both electronically and in hard copy.


HAMB Systems Ltd supports our membership management and claims processing system by the provision of software and hosting services.  Personal information is held on systems hosted by HAMB Systems Ltd at its sites.  Third party suppliers host voice recordings and related material.  Data may be held on systems owned and managed by “cloud” service providers.  These and other service providers that host personal information are subject to the Privacy Act, and agreements ensure the integrity and security of personal information and management of the information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and the Australian Privacy Principles.


We collect personal information on a recurring basis, in particular relating to managing your health insurance with us and when making a claim.  This is your notification that we will collect your personal information on a recurring basis.  When you or your authorized representative interact with us and when you receive treatment for which a claim is made on your health insurance policy, it is reasonable for you to expect that we will collect your personal information.


If you are the Contributor of a health insurance policy with us, you are responsible for ensuring that every person on the health insurance policy is aware of this Privacy Policy, particularly as it relates to the collection, holding, use and disclosure of their personal information for the purposes of their cover and verifying that appropriate benefits are paid.  Where you provide personal information to us about another person on the health insurance policy, you must be authorised to do so.


If you are not the Contributor of a health insurance policy with us, but are making a claim, or otherwise providing personal information, on behalf of another insured person, you must be authorised to do so.


If you or any other person on your health insurance policy does not consent to the collection and the way we use and disclose personal information, we may not be able to provide you or the other person with cover.


Use of personal information

Personal information is used for a number of reasons such as:

  • Administering the private health insurance fund and your private health insurance policy.  This includes providing a billing and claims payment service involving assessment, processing, control, auditing, benefit review, research and system maintenance and undertaking related regulatory requirements such as Contributor communication and reporting.
  • Enabling us to comply with legislative requirements for the collection of and submission of data to Government agencies.
  • Developing and providing products and services.
  • Communicating to you general information about us, the health insurance industry, health and well-being or other material which we consider may be of interest to you.
  • Advising you of direct marketing offers, such as promotions, products and services provided or offered by us or on our behalf, or other service providers who have a relationship with us, that we consider may be of interest or benefit to you or other people insured on the same health insurance policy (where applicable).  Direct marketing material may be brought to your attention by various means and includes being sent to you through electronic communications such as email or text message, mail and/or by phone.  When you become a customer or become insured under a private health insurance policy, you consent to receiving marketing material for an indefinite period (including after you may cease to be insured by us).  If you do not want to receive direct marketing material or offers, you can withdraw your consent by contacting us.
  • Resolving business or legal matters, issues or complaints.
  • Purchasing or providing health or health related services on your behalf, including membership of organisations.
  • Part of the security protocols used by staff to confirm the identity of the person being dealt with. 
  • Undertaking surveys to improve our products and services.
  • Identifying persons that may benefit from risk management, health management and disease management programs and, where the person has consented or the person would reasonably expect us to do so, for the provision of these health programs. 
  • Perform any other functions or activities.
  • Our functions and activities and our range of products and services may change from time to time.


Disclosure of personal information

We may disclose your personal information (including sensitive health information) to other individuals on your health insurance policy for administering the policy, including for the payment of benefits.  As the Contributor is the holder of the health insurance policy, we disclose all personal information about all insured persons on the policy to the Contributor, including details of all benefits and services claimed on the policy.  We send all communications on health insurance policies, including those that cover more than one person, to the address supplied by the Contributor.  In addition, at the time of joining us, the Contributor authorises us to share personal information amongst individuals on the health insurance policy.  


A person over the age of 14 years may request to have their sensitive information kept private from other persons insured on the policy.  We will endeavour to keep the information private, but may be obliged to disclose information on request by the Contributor of the insurance policy, or a parent or guardian of the person.  If any insured person aged 18 years or older wants to guarantee that their personal information (in particular sensitive information) is not disclosed to other persons on the health insurance policy, they will need to purchase their own health insurance policy.


We may need to disclose personal information to various organisations such as:

  • Government agencies, including Medicare, Private Health Insurance Ombudsman, the Department of Health and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority;
  • Other private health insurers or other health insurance industry bodies;
  • Health service providers;
  • Professional advisers.
  • Persons or organisations authorised by you (this includes other people covered under the same health insurance policy) and your agents and advisers;
  • Insurers or legal representatives of insurers, or statutory authorities such as Return to Work SA, in relation to claims made for damages or compensation for motor vehicle or other accidents or workers compensation.
  • Organisations contracted by us to assist in the delivery of our functions and services.  This includes our contracted third party agents such as the Australian Health Service Alliance Ltd (Note: From time to time, we disclose personal information to the Australian Health Service Alliance who provides clinical, classification and contract support in order to assist us with correctly assessing a claim for payment and to identify persons who could potentially benefit from a chronic disease management program), organisations that provide mail out services, organisations for security purposes, organisations that support our voice recording infrastructure and organisations that supply and support our information technology infrastructure;
  • To business partners who provide services direct to you on our behalf or business partners from which we purchase services on your behalf and this includes organisations that results in you also becoming their client and/or member (note: this may involve the retention of disclosed personal information by the business partner to deliver their services to you);
  • Payment system operators and financial institutions; 
  • Your employer; and/or
  • Other parties to whom we are authorised or required by law to disclose information, such as auditors and actuaries.


We will not sell your contact details or add your contact details to mailing lists of third parties unrelated to your health insurance policy or with whom we do not have a relationship, without your prior consent.  We will require that business partners and contractors comply with the Australian Privacy Principles.


We are not likely to disclose your personal information to overseas recipients.


Security

We undertake all reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is kept secure and to protect your information from misuse, loss and unauthorized access, modification or disclosure.  Paper documents are protected from unauthorized access through the application of a security system at our premises.  Computer and network security systems include, amongst other things, the use of firewalls, encryption technology and password protection.


Social media, website analytics and electronic exchanges

When you visit our websites, a record of your browser, devices used to access the website, location, IP Address, cookies and such similar related information is made.


We use persistent and session cookies to store information entered into the websites.  This information is stored on your browser until it is closed.  Information is securely transferred by encryption protocols (SSL) to our server and exists within memory for the duration of the HTTPS request and associated response, upon which it is removed.  You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of the websites.

 Our websites use a range of tools and services provided by third parties, including Google Analytics, a service which transmits website traffic data to various Google servers around the world, including the United States.  Google Analytics does not identify individual users or associate your IP address with any other data held by Google.  

We use reports provided by Google Analytics to help us understand website traffic and webpage usage.  
By using our websites, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner described in Google’s Privacy Policy and for the purposes set out above. You can opt out of Google Analytics if you disable or refuse the cookie, disable JavaScript, or use the opt-out service provided by Google- external site.  In addition to anonymous Data Collection Tools, we also collect identifiable information through the use of tracking pixels and cookies.  This allows for the collection of information regarding the use of the web page that contains the tracking pixel/cookie.   For example, if you have used Facebook on the same device, we share the tracking cookie data with Facebook who will use this to optimise advertising provided to you when using Facebook.


You acknowledge that the Internet is not a secure environment.  We cannot guarantee the security of information you send and receive by electronic means, and hence electronic exchanges are undertaken at your own risk.


We provide links to third party sites, and third party applets for social media sharing.

These sites are not under our control and hence we are not responsible for any practices by these third parties that may breach your privacy.  We encourage you to review the privacy policies of these third parties.


If you access or log-in to our websites through a third party social media service, we may also collect information from that social media service.  

This may include:

  • your user name for that service;
  • any information or content you have permitted the social media service to share with us (such as your profile picture(s), email address, followers or friends lists); and
  • any other information you have made public (including other posts you make using your social media profile).


We do not collect your social media profile password.  When you access our websites through your social media profile, or when you connect to your social media profile, you authorise us to collect and handle your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. 


We may send you push notifications from time-to-time in order to update you on our latest blogs or about current promotions which we may be offering.  If you no longer wish to receive these communications, you may turn them off at any time at the device level or by visiting our websites and following the prompt.  To ensure you receive proper notifications, we will need to collect certain information about your device such as operating system and user identification information.


Use and access of our websites must be in accordance with the terms and conditions published on the websites.


We provide Contributors with access to Online Member Services in accordance with the published terms and conditions.  


Correcting, updating and accessing personal information

Subject to any legislation, an individual has a right to request reasonable access to their personal information and to request its correction.  Generally, obtaining access, updating and correcting your personal information is undertaken by our Customer Services Officers using one of the points of contacts listed further below.  


Depending on the information and how it is stored, information may be viewed at our office, accessed through the Online Member Service or sent to the requestor.  We reserve the right to charge an administration fee for the provision of the information to cover costs incurred. 


We have the right to withhold the release of personal information in certain circumstances.
The accuracy of your personal information is important to us.  If you believe that any personal information is not accurate, complete or up to date, we should be advised in writing as soon as practicable.


Complaints

Questions about our Privacy Policy and privacy practices, requests for access and correction of personal information that you believe have not been addressed or complaints about a possible breach of privacy should be directed to the Privacy Officer using the contact details listed below.  


Contact details

In relation to Police Health:
Postal Address:          PO Box 6111 Adelaide  SA  5000
Phone number:          1800 603 603
Facsimile number:    (08) 8112 7099    
Email address:          enquiries@policehealth.com.au


In relation to Emergency Services Health:
Postal Address:         PO Box 6111 Adelaide  SA  5000
Phone number:          1300 703 703
Facsimile number:    1300 151 152    
Email address:          enquiries@eshealth.com.au


Information about Privacy

Information about privacy, including links to the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles can be found on the Website of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, www.oaic.gov.au


Privacy Policy changes

From time to time, we may modify this Privacy Policy.  Where this occurs we will publish the new Privacy Policy on websites, www.policehealth.com.au and www.eshealth.com.au


Policy Administration

Policy Approved From:       20 June 2020
Policy Review Date:            31 March 2023


Oversight Responsibility:        Risk Management and Compliance Committee

How to claim

Get more value and benefits from your private health insurance, without the hassle.

Lodging claims with Emergency Services Health is easy. Depending on the service and provider, there are a number of ways to claim which have been listed below.

How to claim for Extras

On the spot claims on extras services

With the majority of extras claims such as dental and optical, health providers can process your claim on the spot using EFTPOS-style claiming facilities provided by HICAPS and iSOFT HealthPoint.

These are often referred to as "On the spot" claiming. On the spot claiming has become the preferred option for most policyholders, with more than 85 percent of eligible claims being processed this way.

All you have to do is swipe your membership card and sign to validate the service. Your claim will be automatically lodged with Emergency Services Health and we pay the provider directly.

There is no need to pay the full consultation fee up-front and then wait for reimbursement of your benefit. Just present your Emergency Services Health membership card, pay any out of pocket gap and you're done.

Who offers on the spot claiming?

To find out if your health provider offers on the spot claiming simply look for the HICAPS & iSOFT logo or contact your health provider.

You can also search online for health providers that offer HICAPS.

While Emergency Services Health accepts most claims on the spot, the service is not available for orthodontic, pharmacy, health appliances (including hearing aids), counselling and eye therapy. By handling these claims manually, we are able to deliver better and fairer benefits to our members for these services.

There may also be situations where benefits cannot be processed on the spot, or where there is no benefit entitlement. In these situations, you will be asked to contact Emergency Services Health.

HICAPS Search

Emergency Services Health Mobile Claiming App

As a member of Emergency Services Health, we’ve got your back. Our Emergency Services Health App lets you manage your health cover 24/7.

Use the app to:

  • Easily make a claim for you or your dependents

  • Access benefit limits and cover details

  • View your claims history

  • Update your contact details

Who can use the Emergency Services App?

Anyone can access general fund information via the app, but to use features relating to your membership, you must be an Emergency Services Health Member and have registered your online membership account.

How to receive your benefits faster!


Claim as soon as possible - provide us with your bank account details so your benefit is paid directly to your account. Claims for services older than two years will not be accepted. 


Other extras services claims

Not all extra claims can be lodged on the spot. For extras claims that cannot be lodged on the spot simply fill out an Emergency Services Health claim form and send it with the relevant accounts and receipts to any of the three options:

  • Email: myclaim@eshealth.com.au (include your member number in the subject email line)
  • Mail: Emergency Services Health, Reply Paid 84966, Halifax St, SA 5000
  • Free Fax: 1300 151 152

Alternatively, if you are happy for the money to be paid into your nominated contributor account you can download the Emergency Services Health Mobile Claiming App. 

How to claim for Hospital

Hospital claims generally come directly to us from the hospital and we send the claim payment back to the hospital. This means you don't have to make a claim.



Payments

Cheques covering medical or extras services are made payable to you if you've paid the account or, if you haven't, to the provider of the service. In both instances, the cheques are sent to you (naturally if the payment is in your favour you can elect to have the payment direct credited to your financial institute).

If the account has not been paid, forward the cheque to the provider together with your portion of the payment.

How to fast-track your claims payments

If you have already paid the invoice from your medical or extras provider, Emergency Services Health offers PromptPay to ensure fast payment of your claim. With PromptPay your benefit is paid directly to your financial institution account as a direct credit.

Download our claim form, simply write "YES"  in the box `Please Pay To My Bank Account Yes/No' and then fill in your nominated financial account details.



Download our claim form
Download our claims consent form

More Information

Guide To Hospital

Find out what you should know and what you should ask before a planned trip to the hospital.

Learn More

Waiting periods

Find out if you have waiting periods before you’re eligible to claim on certain procedures or services. 


Learn more

Access Gap Cover

Under our Access Gap Cover, you may never have to pay a doctor's bill. Your doctor can forward all accounts to us.

Learn More

Contracted Hospitals

Did you know we have agreements with most private hospitals likely to be accessed by members?

Learn more

Eligibility Guide

Emergency Services Health is a restricted access private health insurer.

If you work or volunteer for an Australian emergency service, or you once did, you can move to us and so can your close relations.  

Eligible sectors include

  • Fire Response & Recovery Sector
  • Ambulance & Medical Response & Recovery Sector
  • Water Response & Recovery Sector
  • State Emergency Response & Recovery Sector

Eligible family members include a dependent child, an adult child, an adult child's partner/spouse, an adult child's dependent child, a sibling, a sibling's partner/spouse, a sibling's dependent child, a parent, or a grandchild.

Contact us if you are uncertain about your eligibility. 1300 703 703.

Alternatively, if you or a family member currently or used to work for an Australian police service or police association you may be eligible to join Police Health. find out more here policehealth.com.au 

Fire Response & Recovery Sector

  • Currently or previously employed/volunteering for a Not-for-profit, Commercial, or a National, State or Territory Government Fire Department/Service or Association/Union.


  • Currently or previously employed/volunteering for a registered training organisation and/or specialist emergency service equipment suppliers in the Fire Response & Recovery Sector.

Ambulance & Medical Response & Recovery Sector

  • Currently or previously employed/volunteering for a Not-for-profit, Commercial, or a National, State or Territory Government Ambulance Department/Service or Association/Union.

  • Currently or previously employed/volunteering for a Not-for-profit, Commercial, or a National, State or Territory Government Hospital Service or Association/Union.

  • Currently or previously employed/volunteering in a medical, nursing or allied health capacity and are registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA), or currently or previously employed by such a person or related organisation.

  • Currently or previously employed/volunteering for a registered training organisation and/or specialist emergency service equipment supplier in the Ambulance & Medical Response & Recovery Sector.


  • This sector includes all practitioners registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA)


Water Response & Recovery Sector

  • Currently or previously employed/volunteering for a Not-for-profit, Commercial, or a National, State or Territory Government Life Saving (or Sea Rescue) Department/Service or Association/Union.

  • Currently or previously employed/volunteering for a registered training organisation and/or specialist emergency service equipment supplier in the Water Response & Recovery Sector.

State Emergency Response & Recovery Sector

  • Currently or previously employed/volunteering for a Not-for-profit, Commercial, or a National, State or Territory Government Emergency Services Department/ Service or Association/Union.

  • Currently or previously employed/volunteering for a registered training organisation and/or specialist emergency service equipment supplier in the State Emergency Response & Recovery Sector.
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Emergency Services Health specialise in providing only the best cover making your choice easy.

Jodie

NSW

"From my first contact enquiring about a policy, ES Health have been nothing but a pleasure to deal with compared to our last health fund. Our policy not only came in cheaper than our previous insurer but the benefits were better and the customer service was miles ahead. So far, I’ve experienced nothing but great customer service."

Want to learn more?

If you ever thought you might get better value switching your top-level health insurance from a big-name provider — you were right!

Leave your details and a specialist will be in touch to assist you further. 

By clicking call me you agree we will contact you & confirm you have read, understood & agree to our Privacy Policy.

About US

Nothing is more important to us than the health and wellbeing of emergency services families


Who we are

Emergency Services Health is brought to you by Police Health Limited, a not-for-profit, member based, private health insurance fund. This means that we’re run for the benefit of members and not driven by corporate investors or overseas owners demanding shareholder dividends. The fund has stood behind the policing community for over 85 years. We bring the quality cover only police officers and their families could previously access, to our colleagues in the Emergency Services.

Our vision is to enhance the physical and mental health and wellbeing of Australia’s Emergency Services community.

Our mission is to rally behind Australia’s Emergency Services community, providing support, information and health insurance products, and services designed exclusively for the needs of our members.

We understand what it’s like to do a job that impacts on your physical and mental health while you’re protecting our community. It’s why our products and services are designed with that in mind.

Health insurance can be very confusing. We know our members appreciate that we keep it simple. With Emergency Services Health you only have to choose between our extras, hospital or combined products.


Cover like no other


Our passion drives us

We’re a passionate bunch, because we know what we’re doing, and why it matters. We are fundamentally improving the lives of first responders and their families across Australia because they deserve nothing less.

Our purpose

Everything we do is for the health and wellbeing of  the communities we serve... the first responders of Australia and their families

How we do this

By offering top-level private health cover, at value for money prices and service second to none.

Our values

Our values are lived and breathed, not just words, but a real compass to how we conduct and hold ourselves accountable to our members. 

  • We do the right thing
  • We are courageous
  • We go beyond
  • We listen and care
  • We work together

Governance

The fund is managed by a team of health insurance professionals with vast experience in the private health insurance industry. This team works under the direction of the Board of Directors, which come from both police & health insurance backgrounds - people who know, and understand the industry and care about the emergency services community.

Meet The Emergency Services Health Team

We treat our members like colleagues, because they are.

Board of Directors

Peter Shanahan

“My commitment to our members is to provide them with the best value health insurance."

CHAIRMAN

Kevin Lawton 

“I am committed to advancing the health and wellbeing of our members, while maintaining our special relationship that has endured since 1935."

DEPUTY CHAIR

Linda Williams

“I am keen to assist in maintaining the solid governance, rigorous financial management and growth to strengthen member services.”

BOARD DIRECTOR

Mick O’Neill

“Our mission to care for one another and improving the health and wellbeing of our community continues to drive my commitment.”

BOARD DIRECTOR

Phil Vincent

“I will strive to contribute to the Board’s ongoing stewardship of this successful fund.”

BOARD DIRECTOR

Simon Watkins

“I am committed to ensuring we are a resilient organisation so we are always there to support you, and your family’s, health and wellbeing.”

BOARD DIRECTOR

Mark Burgess

“As the former CEO of the Police Federation of Australia and a police officer of over thirty years, I see us as being an integral part of the police and emergency services family."

BOARD DIRECTOR

Gayle Ginnane

“My experience as a former health insurance regulator and economic qualifications can add strength to the Board.”

BOARD DIRECTOR

Senior Leadership Team

Scott Williams

"After starting out in scrubs, I’ve now worked in senior healthcare roles for over 20 years and can truly empathise with our members dealing with medical emergencies. That’s why I consider it such a privilege to play my part in supporting the health and wellbeing of the emergency services community."

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Rebecca Chapman

"I look forward to the continued growth of Emergency Services Health, whilst maintaining an unwavering focus on our members, and their health insurance needs."

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER & COMPANY SECRETARY

Tony Melino

"Emergency Services Health is truly aligned to the member, and decisions are made with the member top of mind."

GENERAL MANAGER RISK & COMPLIANCE

Margot Cook

"I'm proud to be part of the team at Emergency Services Health where I see a committed and professional approach with genuine interest in the health and wellbeing of our people and members."

GENERAL MANAGER PEOPLE & CULTURE

Daniel Zervaas

"With the consumer being the emergency service community I have a strong sense of satisfaction in providing a service to the members of the community who serve us all."

GENERAL MANAGER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Angelo Russo

"There is a great opportunity to harness and develop the Emergency Services Health brand, member loyalty and growth as it continues to expand across Australia."

GENERAL MANAGER MARKETING & STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS

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Want to find out more about Emergency Service Health?

Give us a call by clicking the button below.

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Young doctors at high-risk of mental health problems

Doctor standing in hospital corridor clutching face stressed

Young doctors at high-risk of mental health problems

Mental health issues and suicide rates of our young doctors in Australia are now at an all-time high.

There’s a number of reasons contributing to this, including being overworked and worried about making clinical errors.

According to findings by the Australian Medical Association, 68% of NSW doctors-in-training worry about their personal health, due to hours worked. 89% are not paid for all unrostered overtime and almost all doctors (97%) work more than the standard 38 hours per week.

Doctors, however, who aren’t getting the support they need, are reluctant to come forward for fear of losing their medical licenses.

Professor Brad Frankum, AMA’s president, says it can put doctors in a tricky situation – needing help, but scared of losing everything they’ve worked for.

"If a doctor discloses to their treating [doctor] that they have drug addiction problems or mental health problems, then it’s mandatory for that treating doctor to report that to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Once that report happens, an investigation needs to take place,” Frankum explained.

But as more doctors lose their lives to self-harm, there are calls for changes to fix the current system. In five months, NSW reported suicides of three young doctors.

The pressure for today’s junior doctors

It’s not a lack of resilience that leads to doctors having suicidal thoughts, according to Dr. Genevieve Douglas in a recent article. Rather, it’s the way junior doctors are treated.

‘We’re not talking about a couple of years of hardship and a few long shifts. It takes around 15 years from the start of your training to become a specialist doctor. In that time, you deal with sick people, traumatic scenarios and grim conversations.’

To add fuel to the fire, there’s additional stressors of the hospital system, difficult training pathways, and the ‘head down, shut up’ culture. This is especially hard for junior doctors because the workload is intense – the hours, emergencies, paperwork, discharge meetings and summaries, combined with the lack of guidance from senior specialists. Budgets continue to be cut leaving less staff treating more patients. 

Add to this all the personal responsibilities like maintaining a relationship or raising kids. Emotional reserves to care for others is non-existent due to physical exhaustion and ‘compassion fatigue.’ The worst part of this is not being able to ask for help, at least the type of professional support that won’t affect future career prospects.

Junior doctors, and all specialists for that matter, need to have access to greater support. This requires a multi-system approach. Douglas suggests a nation-wide review of training processes, extended contracts, and reshaping the hospital culture – including administrative and nursing staff, too.

Why do emergency services workers and volunteers need to be aware of prolonged grief?

Emergency Services family holding hands

Why do emergency services workers and volunteers need to be aware of prolonged grief?

If you’ve ever had a loved one pass away, you’ll know that depth of sadness. Nothing can prepare you for it. And while it’s something that you’ll never completely get over, it does get easier with time, as that yearning and longing interrupts your life, less and less. 

Chronic grieving. It’s not the same.

People with prolonged grief are basically stuck in a state of chronic loss. They may still feel shocked or dazed by their loss, have difficulty accepting it and find themselves constantly thinking about the meaning of their loss.

Some people may find themselves drawn to reminders, that interfere with other aspects of their life. Others may find themselves avoiding memories or activities that remind them of their loss.

The thing is, anyone can experience this. A sudden death, a traumatic moment or something that shocks you, can lead to complicated, chronic grief. This can result in mental health conditions that are different from depression or anxiety.

The aftermath of traumatic events doesn’t stop.
 
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the emergency service professions.
 
The daily experiences with life-threatening and highly stressful events affect them physically, mentally, and emotionally. This can put them at risk of substance abuse, heart attacks, and increasing divorce rates.
 
The high levels of stress that these workers routinely encounter can draw some into chemical dependency, physical illness, emotional problems, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and poor inter-family relationships. The lack of public support and understanding only adds to anxiety levels.
 
For emergency service workers, there’s never an opportunity to completely move on from those experiences. The constant exposure to death or situations that remind them of that person or moment, makes it difficult to process emotions. While they probably don’t know the victim personally, they’re the ones who spend their last minutes with them – in moments of intense fear, shock, and pain.
 
One resource spoke about job-related stress:

“Stress is one of the most serious occupational hazards in the fire service, affecting health, job performance, career decision-making, morale, and family life. Emotional problems, as well as issues with alcohol and drugs, are becoming increasingly evident. High rates of attrition through divorce, occupational disease, and injury continue… [and] suicide is a real and tragic alternative for some.”

Practising coping skills and being aware of unhealthy side effects of trauma is critical.

Don’t be afraid to talk about your grief, addictions, and how to achieve emotional wellness. 

Why 1 in 3 Australian nurses are unhappy

Why 1 in 3 Australian nurses are unhappy

Why 1 in 3 Australian nurses are unhappy

Nurses deal with all types of patients. And in the early stages, they often don’t know how to handle situations that escalate. Leading to many nurses coping with feelings of incompetence.

The Monash Business School has launched a new study on the wellbeing of nurses and midwives. They found that almost a third of Australia's nurses are thinking of leaving the profession because they’re overworked, undervalued and in danger of burning out.

With the nature of nursing comes hard work that needs to be completed accurately, quickly. Add the physical and emotional strain to an intense workload, and it’s not hard to see why nurses are struggling.

If you’re a nurse and you’re experiencing these problems, there are things you can do to make yourself stronger, both physically, mentally, and spiritually.

1. Physically: Do exercises to keep your back strong

Every day, you’re lifting and holding patients. This is why back health is one of the most important points for nurses, so you’re not putting yourself at risk of injury. Understand the concept of muscle balance – strengthening all of your muscles. For your core strength, focus on the back, gluteal, pelvic area, and abdomen. Here are a few exercises you can follow in the comfort of your own home. They include the plank, superman (hyperextensions), pelvic lifts, abdominal crunches, and quadruped.
 

2. Mentally: Exercise your self-awareness

As a nurse, you witness a lot of tragedy. It can be all-consuming. And while it’s important to stay compassionate and nurturing to people in need, you need to guard yourself against compassion fatigue through self-awareness. Don’t forget who you are. Think about your unique talents and abilities, personality traits, beliefs, values, and what makes you happy.
 

3. Spiritually: Meditate every day

We can’t underestimate the power of meditation. It’s one of the simplest habits to add into your day to help manage the stress of nursing. Meditation enables you to stay present and control your own mind. You can do mini meditations throughout the day. The great thing is that you can do it anytime you’ve got a spare five minutes to yourself.
 
You’re constantly on your feet for long periods of time at work, so moving isn’t the issue. But there’s an opportunity to strengthen your body and mind by following these strategies.

 

Support your partner's work in emergency services

Close up of fireman

Support your partner's work in emergency services

There are not many jobs out there that save lives every day. But doctors, nurses, firefighters, lifeguards, and ambulance officers are a few that top the list.

The thing that sets doctors and emergency service workers apart is those first moments after the accident. Emergency workers and volunteers are the people who deal with the crisis firsthand before the victim is taken to the hospital.
 
It’s in these moments of shock, fear and adrenaline-filled panic, that people either push through or lose their life. It takes a very special kind of person to deal with these situations… every single day. Their reason for pursuing such a career (or volunteering their free time) is, purely, to help people.
 
It’s important to take a moment and really thank these people for the work they do – for continuing to go beyond their call of duty when that call comes for help.
 
For you and many other partners of emergency service workers, it’s certainly not always easy.
 
Take time to appreciate your hero…
 
The shift work, the early morning emergency calls, the anxiety, and the possible injuries. There’s no other job like this. It’s not simple like a 9-5. But ‘simple’ doesn’t usually bring out the best.
 
If your partner is in emergency services, whether through their job or as a volunteer, do your best to support them – both physically and emotionally. When they come home, exhausted from what they’ve seen on the road, be there for them. Be their eyes and ears – because sometimes they can’t see when they need help.
 
Be proactive about maintaining positive mental health. Block out date nights, family time, and special things you both like to do. It’s surprising how powerful making a habit of time together every week is. Whatever you do with that time doesn’t matter. It’s having a day to look forward to that’s just yours, that’s important.
 
Creating a positive life at home will help your partner draw the line, mentally, from the emotional strain of work. Let them switch off and walk into a house of love.
 
Volunteer recognition
 
Acknowledging your volunteer or emergency service worker reinforces efforts and is a sign of appreciation. It can be as simple as a smile and words of encouragement. As humans, we all want to be recognised for the good things that we do. And for volunteers, they need a few extra thank yous. This helps build their self-esteem and confidence. When volunteers feel appreciated, they’re more likely to feel connected to their job and continue to serve others.
 
Always thank your loved one, in different ways, every day. Is there an activity they love doing? If they’re having a tough day, why not take a couple of hours out and do it.
 
A little thanks can go a long way. 

Part of emergency service? Don't miss out on the best health insurance for you!

paramedic treating trauma patient

Part of emergency service? Don't miss out on the best health insurance for you!

How good is your health insurance, really?

Insurance. It’s not all black and white. There’s a lot of grey areas that are hard to understand. That monthly charge comes out of your bank account and you don’t really know what you’re paying for. Sound familiar?

You’re not alone. But when it comes to your health, it’s important to take things seriously.

The problem junk health insurance policies

Let’s go back to the problem of not knowing what you’re paying for. You know you need health insurance right, but it’s hard to invest in it when it’s not of value to you.

Maybe you’ve had to make a claim before and you’ve been surprised by a high excess. A lot of the time, insurance funds catch members out when something goes wrong (when you need the support the most) because members didn’t understand what exactly they were covered for or what an excess on a hospital cover actual meant.

You only find this out at the time you need to make a claim, even after months or years of not claiming on your cover. Your health insurance is just simply another monthly bill that you have to account for, until you have to use it.  

No cover when you actually need it

Too much focus on price, and not benefits. Some big brand health insurers sell people on how affordable they are. But, not only does this mean you can pay more as an excess, but you’re also in danger of not covering yourself for items you never think you'll need.

Like the old saying goes: You get what you pay for. This is the perfect analogy for private health insurance. The best thing you can do is to avoid these ‘junk’ policies and understand the value of the benefits. You could choose a policy that can ‘save’ you $100 but when you go to use it, you may discover it pays for nothing. It’s money, and cover, down the drain.

Do you know what you’re currently entitled to? What about the health services that you’d like to use, but aren’t included in your policy?

You could go through years without any health issues. This doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from a policy with Extras cover with regular preventative health visits like a trip to the dentist. Having a policy that includes physiotherapy or occupational therapy can help with early intervention of injuries before they become bigger health concerns and can also help with after care recovery of major illness and injuries.

They’re operating for profit

Some big health insurers are running to make a profit – they’re a business. As healthcare service fees rise, so do insurance policy premiums. In some cases, benefits on policies are not increased to reflect these rising cost in healthcare, which leaves you with a larger out of pocket expense each year and more money back to their shareholders. This means members pay more for less. The model just doesn’t work anymore, well not for the members.

What’s the answer? Value your insurance and choose a not-for-profit Members Own, restricted access health insurance cover that gives you all the benefits you need. There are no shareholders and your health needs are put first. This is how health insurance should always have been.

Emergency Services Health is Australia’s only not-for-profit private health insurer, exclusively for the emergency services community. A non-for-profit health fund, made for emergency workers and volunteers

For past and current emergency service workers, volunteers and their families including but not limited to, paramedics, nurses, doctors, health practioners, firefighters, surf lifesavers and state emergency services, we have private health insurance that’s made for you, and you only. With us, it’s not a numbers game. Our private health insurance policies is only open to these emergency services communities, with policies developed to support this community’s needs.

We’re run to benefit you. We give more and offer you a more personalised service. You’re treated like an individual, not a number. And this makes the world of difference, especially in trying times, when health issues strike.

You can't put a price on your health.

Don't fall for the low-cost trap. There's always a catch! Call us on 1300 703 703, Emergency Services Health, today to learn more about our fund.

To find out more about our cover, click here.

Over 3 million Australian's qualify for the best insurance cover and they don't know it

filling cabinet with folder on private health insurance

Over 3 million Australian's qualify for the best insurance cover and they don't know it

How to get more bang from your health insurance buck.

For every one of us, the day comes when we have to make an important financial decision that will have major bearing on our lives and the lives of our family members. While for some it may come when buying a house, choosing a school for the kids or deciding when to retire; for most of us it comes with the realisation that our health is our most important asset.

Don't discount the importance of your health

It's important to acknowledge there is no fitness regimen or diet to make us bullet proof or immune to life’s little ailments. This is particularly true for those who put their body under the stress that comes with working in the emergency services industry.

And while this acknowledgment will spur some of us to take out a private health insurance policy for the first time, many of us will already hold a policy for the invaluable peace of mind and flexibility in medical care that it provides… after all, you never know what’s around the corner.

That's when private health insurance comes in handy.  Not only does it give you peace of mind and helps avoid public hospital waiting times during these sticky situations, a good policy can also deliver you valuable benefits such as the ability to choose your own doctor, more choice in when and where you are treated and the opportunity to recuperate in a private room after a medical procedure, if this is appropriate for your treatment and available.

However, it is important to remember that no two private health insurance policies are the same and each will contain different inclusions, exclusions, extras and excesses…. Sounds confusing? Well, the following represents a good place to start when it comes to securing a policy that is there for you when things go pear-shaped and also when things are looking like they may need a tune-up.

What are 'junk' health policies and who are they actually hurting?

When purchasing a policy don’t just focus on price and opt for the cheapest option. Many of these policies are commonly referred to as ‘junk’ policies because they are virtually useless in terms of health coverage and only really serve to provide tax benefits by helping holders avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge.

Many of these ‘junk’ policyholders receive a nasty surprise when claiming on things like hospital admissions, physio bills and ambulance services. In these situations, people often find themselves either significantly or completely out of pocket and these bills can run into the thousands. In short, trying to save $100 dollars in the short-term can end up costing you $10,000 in the long-run.

Comprehensive cover can make good financial sense

It is also important to ensure that your policy covers you for any situation, both good and bad. Life has a way of surprising you with tweaked joints, mystery ailments and even surprise additions to the family. As such holding a comprehensive level of cover can make good financial sense… particularly for those who lead active and at times hazardous lifestyles such as firefighters, state emergency services, nurses or paramedics, and also those who volunteer and depend on good health to continue activities they are passionate about, such as surf lifesaving.

It’s also important to consider the excess on your hospital policy which is an out-of-pocket payment that you must outlay exclusive of any hospital policy benefits. An excess is typically payable upon each hospital admission. As expected, cheaper policies have higher excesses and higher value policies have lower excesses and in the case of providers such as Emergency Services Health, there is no excess at all for any adults and dependent children on its policies.

There is nothing more important than your health and wellbeing and that of your family

And this never rings more true than in the case of individuals and families who work in the physically and mentally straining provision of emergency services. These individuals require specialised cover that meet their unique needs. Not-for-profit providers such as Emergency Services Health do just that by providing private health insurance products, support, information and services designed to maintain the health and wellbeing of emergency service workers and volunteers, and their families.

By signing up to a Members Own policy designed specifically for their needs, emergency workers can perform their jobs as best they can with the valuable peace of mind that comes with knowing that they and their families will be looked after when required.

You can’t put a price on your health

Get the cover worthy of the sacrifices you make in protecting the community. Call us on 1300 703 703, Emergency Services Health, today to learn more about our fund. 

To find out more about our cover, click here.