Independent thoroughbred stud staff support line launched to tackle mental health challenge

By Tim Rowe

Free confidential counselling and 24-hour call service funded by Thoroughbred Breeders Australia viewed as a welcome introduction

Thoroughbred Breeders Australia has engaged an independent organisation to provide a raft of counselling services to industry participants in a bid to tackle the ongoing challenge of mental health, a wider community issue seemingly exacerbated by the pandemic.

The AccessEAP stud staff support line, which is funded by TBA, operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and anybody working directly in breeding can access the service by calling 1300 822 935 and schedule an appointment with a counsellor.

To access the service for free, which is already operational, people need to quote Thoroughbred Breeders Australia when they call and immediate support will be provided.

“We’ve had a really tricky two years and, for a lot of people, they are working away from their family, away from their friends and we have had a huge amount of uncertainty which can obviously impact on everyone’s mental health,” TBA chief executive Tom Reilly told ANZ Bloodstock News yesterday.

“I think this is a really important programme that we’ve been able to roll out and I am really pleased that the board of TBA have been very supportive of this.

“It’s a big commitment from the association, but it’s one we are very pleased to do. I really encourage anyone who is thinking about reaching out to do so as there is support there to be able to speak to someone 24 hours a day.

“There’s also the possibility of booking out a session with a psychologist for any time that suits them.”

Segenhoe Stud has a similar service in place for its employees and general manager Peter O’Brien welcomed the TBA initiative.

“I think it’s self-evident for everybody within the industry that it’s the ultimate priority to protect our colleagues and our employees. I was naive that I wasn’t aware that there were (mental health) pathways available, which I only discovered a couple of years ago,” O’Brien told ANZ Bloodstock News.

“For example, with Segenhoe, we have the guys on the farm and they have a number they can call 24 hours a day and there will be a counsellor there for them.

“The biggest problem, which I also discovered with the likes of Lifeline, is on a Saturday night you can have a four and five-hour wait and that frightened me.

“If you have someone in need, that’s a long wait. It’s a professional service we engaged and staff have a number they can ring at any time of the night or day. There’s a professional there to speak to them; it’s completely confidential, so we don’t know who the person is, which gives our team confidence in using it.

“The number that the TBA is setting up is a similar sort of format. It’s not the answer, but it’s a step in the right direction.”

O’Brien added: “Three people have taken their lives in New Zealand and Australia from the horse industry in the past month and one is too many – three is not good enough. We need to stop it happening, so it’s a great move by Tom (Reilly) and the team (to set up the service).

“For example, at Scone, if we had an employee with some mental health issues and we took them to a GP and they gave us a referral for a psychologist or psychiatrist, the average wait time is three months and that is far too long.

“If someone is unstable and, God forbid, in anyway has suicidal thoughts, three hours is too long, let alone three months. Having anyone in the industry, truck drivers or whatever, to have a number they can ring and have direct access to is wonderful.”

All staff, from any facet of the thoroughbred breeding industry, will have access to three free counselling sessions annually. Should a psychologist decide more sessions are appropriate, the psychologist will develop a Medicare-supported mental health care plan.

“This is an important service for the industry and I’m pleased that TBA are able to provide it,” TBA president Basil Nolan said.

“I would urge anybody who is thinking of calling to go ahead and do it.”

Reilly confirmed the contracted service had access to about 2,000 psychologists and clinical professionals around the country with a minimum of five years postgraduate clinical supervised experience, which enabled callers to access psychologists and psychiatrists almost immediately if required and all of the caller’s information remains confidential.

“We don’t receive any details about who they are, what farm they are from or why they are calling, so it is completely independent of TBA and it’s completely independent of any employer,” the TBA chief executive said.

“People can call up in confidence and reach out and get the support they need and not have to go through their boss or what have you and for some people that will be very important.”

Stud Staff Support Line Frequently Asked Questions

I need to talk to somebody, what do I do?

Simply call 1300 822 935 and tell them you are calling from Thoroughbred Breeders Australia. You can make an appointment to speak to a trained psychologist or, if it’s urgent, ask to speak to a counsellor straight away. The line is open 24 hours a day, all year round.

What kind of problems can I call about?

The psychologists and counsellors are trained to talk to you about any issues that may be affecting your mental health. This could be anxiety, stress, depression, gambling issues, financial concerns, relationship matters, issues caused by alcohol or drug use, workplace problems and so on.

Is this service free?

Yes, Thoroughbred Breeders Australia is providing the service to all staff in the breeding industry. You will have access to three free counselling sessions annually. Should you and your psychologist decide more sessions would be appropriate they will help transition you onto a Mental Health Care Plan which is Medicare supported.

Is it really confidential?

The counsellors are bound by strict codes of practice and none of your personal details will be passed on to TBA or your employer. A psychologist can only break confidentiality if they think you are at risk of harming yourself or another person.

I work long hours and won’t be able to attend appointments?

AccessEAP, who run the Stud Staff Support Line, are available around the clock and will be able to provide a phone appointment at a time that works for you.

How do I use the AccessMyEAP App?

Downloading and setting up the app only takes a couple of minutes.

Download the AccessMyEAP app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Select ‘Register for New Account’.

Enter your name, personal email address and create a password.

Enter the domain name: tbaus.com

You’ll now receive a verification email and, once you’ve clicked on that, you are good to go. You can use the app to schedule appointments via phone or video-chat, access 24/7 support, and keep track of your mental health and wellbeing via the Wellbeing Tracker.

Latest News

Independent thoroughbred stud staff support line launched to tackle mental health challenge