Awards for long service and achievements were presented to South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) staff, volunteers and the public at the third and final Trust annual awards ceremony.
The event, primarily covering Sussex, took place at Buxted Park Hotel, near Uckfield on the evening of Thursday 21 October.
Those receiving medals and awards for long service attended the event in person while commendation award winners joined the celebrations virtually.
Queen’s Medals for Long Service and Good Conduct were presented by The Queen’s representative, the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, Andrew Blackman, while staff and volunteers were recognised for 10, 20, 30 and an amazing 40 years’ NHS service.
Chief Executive Commendations were presented across a number of categories -Exceeding Expectations, Demonstrating Compassion and Respect, and in a new category this year, for COVID-19 Response.
A public commendation was awarded to the Webb family for their quick thinking and actions to save the life of a man when he collapsed in April this year. Nick, Sally and son Sam, who live near Battle in East Sussex sprang into action when John Paine, who runs a family fencing business and was undertaking some fencing work for the family, collapsed in cardiac arrest. John and wife Sue joined the Webbs as they joined the awards virtually.
Full details of all long service and award winners can be found below.
SECAmb Chief Executive Philip Astle said: “I was delighted to once again pay tribute to our staff and volunteers who have reached such key milestones in their service to the ambulance service and wider NHS. Their dedication and professionalism over so many years is very humbling.
“I am also very proud of each and every commendation winner. Their stories of skill, compassion and hard work represent just a small number of examples of the fantastic care which takes place across our region every day. It is also important that we pay tribute to those such as the Webb family. Their actions and the actions of everyone who provides help prior to our arrival is vital so that our teams are in the best position possible to help those who need us.”
The third and final awards ceremony takes place later this week in Sussex.
Queen’s Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct
John Anderson, Paramedic, Polegate
Paul Bartlett, Ambulance Technician, Hastings
Michael Bath, Paramedic, Tangmere
Malcolm Bettles, Operational Team Leader, Polegate
Jason Bishop, Paramedic, Polegate
Richard Bolt, Paramedic, Burgess Hill
David Croucher, Operational Team Leader, Brighton
Peter Eaton-Williams, Research Paramedic and Paramedic Practitioner, Brighton
Paul Fisher, Operating Unit Manager, Gatwick
Zana Gall, Paramedic, Tangmere
Martyn Hall, Operational Team Leader, Polegate
Georgina Hodson, Paramedic, Brighton
Desmond Lacey, Paramedic, Paddock Wood
Jonathan Lewis, Paramedic, Polegate
Carl Marshall, Paramedic, Polegate
Robert McGlew, HART Paramedic, Ashford
Michael McHugh, HART Paramedic, Gatwick
Katie Moorman, Paramedic, Brighton
Steve O’Connor, Operational Team Leader, Haywards Heath
Emma Ticehurst, Paramedic, Brighton
Carl Walton, Operational Team Leader, Brighton
Heath West, Paramedic, Hastings
10 Year’s Volunteer Service
Derek Smith, Community First Responder, Uckfield
20 Years’ NHS Service
Karen Dawes, Make Ready Centre Manager, Polegate
Melanie Huxley, Quality and Compliance Administrator
Geoff Pelling, Paramedic, Brighton
Joanne Smith, Resource Dispatcher, EOC West, Crawley
30 Years’ NHS Service
Susan Barnett, Paramedic, Burgess Hill
Graham Bullimore, Ambulance Technician, Brighton
40 Years’ NHS Service
Peter Radoux, retired Paramedic, West Sussex/Surrey
Chief Executive Commendations
Exceeding Expectations:
Charlotte Bassett, Emergency Medical Advisor – For her quick thinking and actions when, off-duty, she provided successful CPR to a man who had collapsed at the wheel of his car in Peacehaven.
COVID-19 Response:
SECAmb Infection Prevention Control Team – Aide Hogan, Diane Parisi, Kelly Payne, Gavin Thompson, Juliet Bale – For the team’s dedication prior to and throughout the pandemic to strive for continuous improvement and to ensure that IPC remains the key to combatting the risk of spreading coronavirus.
Demonstrating Compassion and Respect:
Alex Carter, Emergency Operations Centre Manager, West EOC, Crawley – For the support she provided to fellow emergency operations centre staff when a close colleague sadly died. Alex provided a supportive and caring arm around the team and was praised for her approachable manner and additional welfare provided to colleagues.
Public Commendation:
Nick, Sally and Sam Webb for their actions in providing CPR to a man who collapsed at their house near Battle, East Sussex. Fencer John Paine collapsed in cardiac arrest while working at the Webb’s home in April this year. The trio began CPR and called 999. John has recovered and celebrated with wife Sue with the Webbs as they joined the awards virtually.