An incredible 900 years of service was marked at the finale of this year’s colleague awards, including the presentation of the Douglas Chamberlain Award to Kent Operating Unit Manager and Critical Care Paramedic, Dave Hawkins, and the honour of the Alice Clark Award, which was proudly received by Paramedic, Courtney Dent.
Hosted at The Orangery in Maidstone, Kent on Thursday, 23 October, the event brought together more than 120 colleagues, volunteer community, and their loved ones for an evening which recognised outstanding contributions across from across the patch, as well as awards presented to honour long service and good conduct.
A highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the first ever Douglas Chamberlain Award, which highlights extraordinary clinical skill and professionalism across our service in remembrance of Douglas Chamberlain himself, a pioneer of pre-hospital care.
Accepting the award was Paddock Wood based Operating Unit Manager and Critical Care Paramedic, Dave Hawkins. Dave was joined by his two daughters as he accepted the award which he was nominated for by Tangmere Operating Unit Manager, Josh Tonks.
Josh said “Dave’s contribution to cardiac care at SECAmb is significant and ongoing. He’s not only improving outcomes for patients, but he’s also inspiring those around him to do the same. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this recognition. His interventions have directly improved patient outcomes, and his willingness to share his knowledge makes him a trusted mentor to colleagues.”
Attendees were privileged to be joined by the Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, Dr Vasu, representing His Majesty The King. Dr Vasu had the honour of presenting the King’s Medals for Long Service and Good Conduct to 29 colleagues, including several from our Emergency Operations Centres (EOC), proudly marking the first year recognising colleagues from our control room.
Throughout the evening, six individuals were commended by our Chief Executive, in recognition of exceptional commitment, compassion, leadership and clinical excellence, all nominated by peers, as well as the presentation of our team of the year award who went to the fantastic Logistics team. Collecting the award on the evening was Michael Pound, Brian Ralph, Raine Goodchild, Will Cudd, Julie Marchant, Nikki Hobbs, Darren Whitworth and Dionne Foreman.
Colleagues Paul Abdey, Gary Glasspool, Sheldon Jury, Paul Rixon, David Smith and Richard Steinbeck also celebrated an impressive 30 years of service, alongside Joseph Tinkler, one of our dedicated community first responders from Ashford who was celebrated 10 years of voluntary community service.
Congratulations to every single colleague and volunteer who received an award.
Details of all award winners:
Kings Long Service and Good conduct Medal
Karen Ashby, Resource Dispatcher, East EOC
Janine Butler, Resource Dispatcher, East EOC
Alex Clark, HART Team Operative, Ashford
Anne Cornwall, Student Paramedic, Guildford
Kay Doody, Practice Development Lead
Daniel Edwards, Paramedic, Medway
Rebekka Esshack, Burniston, Associate Ambulance Practitioner/Technician, Thanet
Claire Farmer, Associate Ambulance Practitioner/Technician, Ashford
Michael Fothergill, Operational Team Leader, Medway
Colin Gardner, Advanced Paramedic Practitioner, Thanet
Gary Glasspool, Emergency Care Support Worker, Ashford
Louisa Guerin, EOC Manager, East EOC
Sean Hardy, Paramedic, Brighton
Gary Knight, EOC Manager, EOC East
Edward Lewington, Paramedic, Dartford
Daniel Logan, EOC Manager, East EOC
Teresa McLaren, Dispatch Team Leader, East EOC
Louise Pearce, Resource Dispatcher, East EOC
Natalie Randall, 111 Paramedic Clinical Advisor, 111 EOC
Paul Rixon, 111 Paramedic Clinical Advisor, 111 East
Sarah Shelton, Dispatch Team Leader, East EOC
Tina Shepherd, Emergency Medical Advisor, East EOC
David Smith, Emergency Care Support Worker, Thanet
Craig Stoneman, Ambulance Paramedic, Medway
Marie Thompson, Resource Dispatcher, East EOC
Chris Treves, Ambulance Paramedic, Medway
Timothy Wise, Associate Ambulance Practitioner/Technician, Ashford
NHS 20 years Long Service
Joy Blake, Buyer, Paddock Wood
Caron Latcham, Administrative Support, Medway
NHS 30 years Long Service
Paul Abdey, Paramedic, Paddock Wood
Gary Glasspool, Emergency Care Support Worker, Ashford
Sheldon Jury, Operations Team Leader, Medway
Paul Rixon, 111 Paramedic Clinical Advisor, 111 East
David Smith, Emergency Care Support Worker, Thanet
Richard Steinbeck, Ambulance Paramedic, Thanet
10 Years Voluntary Service
Joseph Tinkler, Community First Responder, Ashford
20 Years Voluntary Service
Pam Beckinsale, Chaplain, Sittingbourne & Sheppey
Chief Executive’s Commendations
Upholding Integrity – Stephanie Judd, EOC HR Advisor
In the fast-paced world of the Emergency Operations Centre, (EOC), much of the spotlight falls on the frontline, but for Stephanie Judd, EOC HR Advisor for both East and West, her influence is felt behind the scenes.
With an enormous portfolio spanning all roles across both EOCs, including clinical and support staff, Steph’s work is as complex as it is critical. She is known for her integrity, consistently demonstrating honesty, fairness, and professionalism, even in the most challenging situations.
A champion of transparency, Steph isn’t afraid to speak up when something isn’t right, challenging unfair treatment, questioning processes, and encouraging open dialogue. She leads by example, reinforcing that integrity is not simply a value to be discussed, but a principle to be lived.
Upholding Integrity – Shelley Rhodes, Health Informatics Manager, Paddock Wood
Creating a work culture where team members feel valued and motivated to perform at their best explains some of the reasons Shelley was nominated for this award.
Her exceptional dedication, professionalism, and embodiment of the Trust’s values all play an important part, as well as maintaining a close working relationship with the Critical Systems team, Shelley actively contributes to system development and innovation and is committed to supporting initiatives that benefit the wider organisation.
She took the lead in understanding how her team could support record management in alignment with Trust policy and was instrumental in developing user guides and refining processes, helping to streamline how Health Informatics manages records in a more digitally focused and efficient way.
Celebrating Inclusivity – Jack Dewberry, 111 Health Advisor Team Leader
For East 111 Health Advisor Team Leader, Jack Dewberry, inclusion isn’t just an idea, it’s something he actively works to create every day within his team and in across our Medway contact centre.
Winner of a Celebrating Inclusivity commendation, Jack has earned the hearts and minds of colleagues for his kindness, understanding, and unwavering support.
Known for his approachable nature, Jack consistently makes colleagues feel valued, seen, and part of the team. For some, his support has been life changing. One colleague shared that without Jack’s advocacy in navigating workplace challenges linked to autism, they may not be in the role. Instead, he helped them access services, addressed issues on their behalf, and offered constructive guidance to help them thrive in their role within the contact centre.
Excellence in Clinical Care – Kaydee Longley, ECSW, Thanet
For Emergency Care Support Worker, Kaydee Longley, clinical excellence isn’t just about skill, it’s about instinct, curiosity, and the courage to speak up. Kaydee clearly demonstrated all three during a shift that, in all likelihood, saved a patient’s life.
While attending a transfer from a GP surgery in Deal, Kent, Kaydee and her crewmate and nominator for this award, Paramedic, Lydia Bastick, were asked to take an elderly woman, diagnosed with suspected pleurisy, to hospital. As they began their checks in the ambulance, Kaydee suggested this patient could have cardiac-related issues.
Kaydee still wasn’t happy that it wasn’t cardiac, so said she would ring the ASHICE line which is used by emergency services to quickly convey essential patient information to the receiving hospital.
The nurse on the end of the ASHICE line listened to Kaydee’s concerns and gave the go ahead for them to proceed to the hospital on blue lights. Mid journey, the patient began to show cardiac related symptoms, so Kaydee and Lydia pulled over to administer aspirin and glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). The patient was taken into resus on arrival where bloods and a further ECG were conducted, which confirmed the patient was experiencing a Non-ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI).
Alice Clark Award – Courtney Dent, Paramedic, Dartford
It’s been quite the for Courtney Dent to transition to an experienced practitioner, one that began with moving from the other side of the world.
Courtney travelled from Australia to join SECAmb in August 2023 and her resilience, self-development and ability to meet challenges head-on since then are what marked her out for this award.
The Alice Clark Award is recognises newly qualified paramedics and was introduced in memory of 21-year-old Alice, who tragically lost her life in service in January 2022
For Courtney, moving to a new country and adapting to an unfamiliar healthcare system was a challenge, especially when maintaining her portfolio presented early difficulties.
While working on her self-development, Courtney also stood out for her commitment to others. Recognising the struggles she initially faced, she became a constant source of support for her peers, especially other international recruits. Courtney’s natural resilience in the face of work pressures sees her remaining calm, kind, and professional, while lifting those around her.
Douglas Chamberlain Award – Dave Hawkins, Operating Unit Manager Paddock Wood
Douglas Chamberlain’s legacy lives on in the first-ever recipient of our Douglas Chamberlain Award, Paddock Wood Operating Unit Manager and Critical Care Paramedic, Dave Hawkins.
When seconds count, knowledge, preparation, and leadership can mean the difference between life and death. For Dave, those three qualities define his work.
A key driver behind the rollout of the GoodSAM app across the Trust, Dave has helped ensure that members of the public trained in basic life support can be alerted to cardiac arrests within 500 metres of their location, giving them the opportunity to provide emergency care in those first minutes, while giving the patient the best possible outcome.
Dave has also transformed cardiac arrest training, now delivering realistic, high-pressure scenarios combined with constructive feedback to build confidence and capability, not just in his teams at Paddock Wood, but across the patch.
Team of the Year – Logistics Team – Darren Whitworth, Alan Marks, Amanda Le Ruet, Richard Griffin, Dionne Foreman, Julie Marchant, Michael Pound, Brian Ralph, David Jefferys, Raine Goodchild, William Cudd, Dee Furlong, Nick Russell, Annette- Marie Baker and John Saunders.
The vital work of our Logistics team can often go unnoticed, but the team are an essential element to the everyday running of our frontline operations.
Their impeccable service and unwavering commitment to ensure medical equipment is maintained, uniform requests fulfilled, and supplies are delivered across the Trust is something they should be extremely proud of.