The state's workplace health and safety regulator is taking legal action in criminal court against the NSW Ambulance service over the suicide of a Lake Macquarie paramedic.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Tony Jenkins took his own life in April, 2018, after senior staff alleged he had illicitly used opioids.
The Newcastle Herald reported previously that Mr Jenkins was questioned in a meeting during a shift without an independent support person over allegations he had used Fentanyl from Hunter ambulance stations.
A toxicology report found that Mr Jenkins had no drugs in his system when he died a few hours after the meeting.
The 54-year-old was the Hunter Region's third serving paramedic to take their own life within a decade.
SafeWork NSW has started court proceedings on behalf of the Jenkins family against the Secretary of the Ministry for Health, who is acting on behalf of NSW Ambulance, under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.
The regulator confirmed the matter was listed for its first mention in the district court on Monday morning.
The matter is listed to be in front of Judge Wendy Strathdee at Sydney's Downing Centre legal complex.
"My family and I trust in the SafeWork process to bring about an appropriate outcome," Mr Jenkins' wife Sharon told the Newcastle Herald in a statement on behalf of the family.
"Our primary concern now is to bring about change that protects our paramedics into the future."
In 2017, a formal state parliamentary inquiry was held to investigate bullying and cultural issues in emergency services - including NSW Ambulance.
The inquiry reported to the NSW government in early 2019, with 13 of the 27 recommendations relevant to NSW Ambulance.
The Newcastle-based paramedics chief for northern NSW Jordan Emery told the Herald earlier this month a major focus in his new role was addressing "significant cultural challenges" inside the agency, including concerns from staff about bullying and harassment and about not being heard by management.
"We know that there's been concerns raised by staff about bullying and harassment, about not being heard, about not being able to contribute positively to the organisation - that's what I want to disrupt, that's what I want to turn around," Inspector Emery said.
