Long service and special achievements awards have been presented at the first of South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust’s (SECAmb’s) three annual awards ceremonies.
Staff, volunteers and members of the public gathered at Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking on the evening of Thursday 6 October for the awards, which primarily covered the Trust’s Surrey and West Sussex region.
Queen’s Medals for Long Service and Good Conduct were presented by Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey, Michael Hayman MBE, who attended as The King’s representative, while staff were also presented with awards for 20, 30 and an amazing 40 years’ NHS service. SECAmb’s volunteer community first responders were recognised for 10 years’ service.
Chief Executive Commendations were presented across a number of categories including Exceeding Expectations, Demonstrating Compassion and Respect and Leadership. A public commendation was awarded to a group of work colleagues from Titan Garden Buildings in Ripley for their quick thinking and actions in coming to the aid of their colleague who cut his hand off with an electric saw earlier this year.
SECAmb Interim Chief Executive Siobhan Melia said: “I was delighted to join a Trust awards ceremony for the first time since I joined SECAmb in the summer. It was an honour to celebrate the long service of so many dedicated members of staff and volunteers and I was extremely impressed by the variety of nominations for commendations we received. They represent just a small fraction of the amazing work and care which takes place across our region day-in, day-out.”
Full details of all long service and commendation award winners can be found below.
The second and third of SECAmb’s award ceremonies take place this Thursday, (13 October) and next Thursday (20 October) in Kent and Sussex respectively.
Queen’s Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct
Sean Agate, Paramedic, Gatwick
Malcolm Allison, Ambulance Technician, Guildford
Karen Bell, Paramedic, Gatwick
Chris Blanchard, Operational Team Leader, Guildford
David Boult, Ambulance Technician, Worthing
Caroline Brown, Ambulance Technician, Banstead
Ben Clarke, Paramedic, Redhill
Justine Cobby, Ambulance Technician, Gatwick
Clair Cooper, Ambulance Technician, Chertsey
Gary Cooper, Operational Team Leader, Chertsey
Richard Crabb, Critical Care Paramedic, Worthing
Robert Crowsley, Driving Instructor, Guildford
Tracy Dale, Operations Manager, Chertsey
Matthew Day, Ambulance Technician, Worthing
Richard Dixon, Operational Team Leader, Tangmere
Mark Durham, Critical Care Paramedic, Worthing
Geraldine Foley, Clinical Supervisor, EOC West, (Crawley)
Vicky Jago, Ambulance Paramedic, Gatwick
Sharon Killick, Ambulance Paramedic, Dartford
Sonia Latham, Paramedic Practitioner, Tangmere
Vikki Lewis, Paramedic, EOC West (Crawley)/Chertsey
Jo Littlewood, Ambulance Technician, Gatwick
Neil Martin, Paramedic, Worthing
Brendan McQuillan, Ambulance Technician, Worthing
Paul Nelms, Ambulance Technician, Chertsey
Kenny O’Driscoll, Critical Care Paramedic, Chertsey
Tara Ollman, Paramedic Practitioner, Worthing
Kim Partridge, Paramedic, Redhill
Andrew Pattison, Operations Manager, Guildford
Geoffrey Pelling, Paramedic, Brighton
David Phillips, Advanced Ambulance Technician, Worthing
John Pollard, Ambulance Technician, Worthing
Dorien Rapley-Hawkins, Urgent Care Paramedic, EOC West (Crawley)/Chertsey
Tracey Ratcliffe, Paramedic, Guildford
Oliver Reed, Advanced Ambulance Technician, Banstead
Gary Roberts, Operational Team Leader, Gatwick
Katie Robson, Ambulance Technician, Redhill
Andrew Sokolow, Ambulance Technician, Chertsey
Clare Stoner, Ambulance Technician, Redhill
Ian Stringer, HART Paramedic, Gatwick
Louisa Ward, Paramedic, Chertsey
Adam Webster, Ambulance Technician, Tangmere
20 Years’ NHS Service
Michelle Allen, Resource Dispatcher, West EOC, (Crawley)
Brian Croney, IT Supply Manager, Crawley HQ
James Fox, Head of IT Service Delivery, Crawley HQ
Rebecca Garratt, Dispatch Team Leader, West EOC, (Crawley)
Suzanne Phillips, Operating Unit Administrator, Worthing
Angela Rayner, Head of Wellbeing (retired), Crawley HQ
June Tingey, Ambulance Technician, Brighton
30 Years’ NHS Service
Richard Brandon, Critical Care Paramedic, Gatwick
Jonathan Keenes, Paramedic Practitioner, Guildford
Cheryl Laflain, Paramedic, Gatwick
Steve Lovelock, Paramedic Practitioner, Gatwick
Cheryl McCormick, Operational Team Leader, Redhill
Keith Middleton, Paramedic, Gatwick
Simon Myall, Paramedic Practitioner, Redhill
Allegra Sirett, Advanced Ambulance Technician, Guildford
David Wallace, Clinical Operations, retired
Rebecca Perry, 111 Paramedic CAS Clinical Navigator, Crawley
40 Years’ NHS Service
Frank Moss, Paramedic, Banstead (retired)
Nigel Pollitt, Emergency Care Support Worker, Banstead
10 Year’s Voluntary Service
Ina Baker, Community First Responder, Cranleigh
Gurli Medcalf, Community First Responder, Woking
Mathew Smith, Community First Responder, Mid Sussex
Chief Executive Commendations
Exceeding Expectations:
Guildford Operating Unit staff; Oliver Bell, Benjamin Bennett, Christian Powell, Thomas Gallagher, Darren Garfoot, Neil Godden, Jon Keenes, Chris Killick, Louise Miles, Mitchell Smith, Sam Taylor and Dr Jonathan Leung – recognised for their team work in attending and treating patients involved in a particularly distressing road traffic collision. The scene was expertly managed by the team of paramedics, clinicians alongside the police and fire personnel assisting.
Pete Dowd, Operational Team Leader, Chertsey Operating Unit – celebrated for going above and beyond what is expected of him in his team leader role. He is responsible for the onboarding and inducting of all new members of staff in Chertsey, offers his own time and skills for a variety of filming and editing requirements and is also a liaison with St Peter’s Hospital. Pete has also developed a CPD (Continuing Professional Development) website for Chertsey staff which has been well received by both local staff and SECAmb’s Learning and Development Team.
Steve Leggatt, Paramedic, Tangmere Operating Unit – for his brave actions, putting his own safety at risk, to protect his colleagues and patients when a man approached an A&E department with a knife. Without hesitation, Steve took quick and decisive action to protect others by directing them to safety and instructing crews to lock themselves in their ambulances and press their man-down buttons. Prior to that, Steve had confronted the man and managed to get him away from the ambulance bay.
His quick thinking ensured that the man was prevented from entering the hospital where he could have potentially caused further harm. Steve remained with the man until the police, who were in the department at the time of the incident dealing with another matter, were able to take over and disarm him.
Demonstrating Compassion and Respect
Marc Cleeter, Emergency Care Support Worker, Banstead Operating Unit – for the compassion and respect he has shown to colleagues experiencing trauma in their lives. Marc has helped a number of colleagues manage their grief and worries and took his own love of fishing and expanded it to provide friends and colleagues with an opportunity to join him and chat and talk through their feelings should they wish – something which has proved popular with his colleagues.
Mark Newton, Operational Team Leader, Guildford Operating Unit – for his caring approach in providing extraordinary support to a colleague who was struggling with his mental health. The strength of support that Mark provided meant issues were caught early before the member of staff even felt they were a problem.
Leadership
Penny Green, Operating Unit Manager, Call Handling, Emergency Operations Centre, West (Crawley) – for her inclusive approach which ensured a colleague’s religious beliefs were accommodated within the busy 999 emergency operating centre environment. Penny took the time to make necessary adjustments which means her shifts do not impact on her worship.
Public commendation
John Crabb, Mark Daniell, Angela Freeman, Fred Qureshi (Titan Garden Buildings, Ripley, Surrey) – for their quick thinking and actions ahead of the arrival of ambulance crews, in coming to the aid of a colleague, Wally Desaunois, who had cut off his had cut off his hand with an electrical saw. The team made their own tourniquet and applied firm pressure to stem the bleeding. The team’s actions and subsequent expert treatment at hospital ensured Wally’s hand was saved and reattached. Wally and wife, Kathy attended to see the team presented with their award.