Ambulance staff, volunteers and members of public have been recognised for their long service and special achievements at the second of South East Coast Ambulance Service’s (SECAmb’s) annual award events.
Attendees gathered at The Orangery in Maidstone on the evening of Thursday 13 October for the awards which primarily cover the Trust’s Kent region.
Chief Executive Commendations were presented across a number of categories including Exceeding Expectations, Clinical Excellence and Voluntary or Community service. A public commendation was awarded to two members of the public, Tristan Woods-Scawen and James McSharry after their quick-thinking saw them administer CPR and save the life of a man close to Sevenoaks Railway Station in September last year. SECAmb was delighted patient, Robert Ingram, was able to attend to see Tristan and James pick up their awards.
Staff and volunteers were recognised for well in excess of 1,000 years’ service as the Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, Mr Bill Cockcroft, attended as The King’s representative to present Queen’s Medals for Long Service and Good Conduct.
Awards for 20, 30 and a staggering 40 years’ NHS service were also presented, while SECAmb’s volunteer community first responders were thanked for 10 years’ service.
Full details of all long service and commendation award winners can be found below.
The third and final SECAmb annual award ceremony takes place this Thursday, (20 October) for Sussex.
SECAmb Interim Chief Executive Siobhan Melia said: “I was very proud to join all our long service and commendation award winners to celebrate their achievements and their dedication over so many years.
“The commendations showcase just a small selection of the amazing work which takes place across our region every day. It is also very humbling to celebrate decades of public service with all our long service award winners.
“Every single award winner should be extremely proud and I would like to thank all our staff and volunteers for their continued commitment in responding to our patient’s needs.”
Queen’s Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct
Paul Abdey, Paramedic, Paddock Wood
James Apps, Ambulance Technician, Ashford
Jonathan Barton, Ambulance Technician, Ashford
Claire Beardsmore, EOC Development Trainer, EOC East
Jennifer Burgess, Ambulance Technician, Ashford
Paul Bush, Ambulance Paramedic, Thanet
Angela Cavalier, Paramedic Practitioner, Medway
Kim Coveney, Ambulance Technician, Medway
Gary Cowell, HART Paramedic, Ashford
Ruth Dale, Operations Manager, Thanet
Claire Dowdall, Operating Unit Manager, Ashford
Geoffrey Fitch, Critical Care Paramedic, Ashford
Kate Foster, Ambulance Paramedic, Thanet
Rupert George, Ambulance Technician, Thanet
Phillippa Griffin, Paramedic Practitioner, Thanet
Robert Hardingham, Ambulance Technician, Ashford
Kelly Hassett, Ambulance Paramedic, Dartford
Nick Keech, Paramedic, Associate Director of Operations, East, Thanet
Robin King, Operational Team Leader, Ashford
Suzanne Lake, Ambulance Technician, Dartford
Stuart Lewis, Ambulance Technician, Paddock Wood
Keith Layton, Retired
Paul Mabberley, Make Ready Centre Manager, Thanet
Mark MacDougall, Retired
Daniel Obermuller, HART Paramedic, Ashford
Gary Ormston, Ambulance Paramedic, Medway
Lisa Page, Ambulance Paramedic, Thanet
Christopher Proctor, HART Paramedic, Ashford
Robert Rennie, Advanced Ambulance Paramedic, Thanet
Mark Rollins, Retired
Sean Simmonds, HART Paramedic, Ashford
Mark Spooner, Make Ready Centre Manager, Paddock Wood
Katherine Stone, Operational Team Leader, Thanet
Caroline Thomas, Ambulance Technician, Thanet
Clare Truzzi-Franconi, Advanced Ambulance Technician, Dartford
Robert Truzzi-Franconi, Paramedic Practitioner, Dartford
Peter Tucker, Critical Care Paramedic, Ashford
Gary Turley, Ambulance Paramedic, Ashford
Martin Watson, Operational Team Leader, Polegate and Hastings
Emma Williams, Executive Director of Operations, Trust wide.
William Whoriskey, Paramedic Practitioner, Medway
Ian Woods, Ambulance Technician, Thanet
Mark Wright, Paramedic Practitioner, Dartford
William Wright, Ambulance Technician, Ashford
20 Years’ NHS Service
Karen Ashby, Resource Dispatcher, EOC East, Coxheath
Janine Butler, Resource Dispatcher, EOC East, Coxheath
Deborah Harvey, Pharmacy Support Worker, Paddock Wood
Kirsty Palmer, Clinical Scheduling Assistant, EOC East, Coxheath
Susan Pullen, Ambulance Technician, Dartford
Stacy Rixon, Operations Manager Clinical, EOC East, Coxheath
30 Years’ NHS Service
Peter Ayre, Ambulance Paramedic, Sheppey
Jennifer Coombs, Ambulance Paramedic, Ashford
Nick Keech, Paramedic, Associate Director of Operations, East, Thanet
Deborah Morris, Emergency Medical Advisor, EOC East, Coxheath
Robert Truzzi-Franconi, Paramedic Practitioner, Dartford
Peter Tucker, Critical Care Paramedic, Ashford
Nicholas Walker, HART Paramedic, Ashford
40 Years’ NHS Service
Mark Harrison, Clinical Education Lead, Thanet
10 Year’s Voluntary Service
Fionuala Brenchley-Sayers, Community First Responder, North and East Kent
Carol Lewis, Community First Responder, North and East Kent
Chief Executive Commendations
Exceeding Expectations
Karen Ashby, Resource Dispatcher, Emergency Operations Centre, Coxheath – For the compassion and empathy shown over the phone, which ensured a vulnerable person, seemingly intent on taking his own life, was saved and given the help he needed.
Exceeding Expectations
Wayne Thurston, Critical Systems Clinical Manager, SECAmb HQ, Crawley – For his calm and dedicated technical support and advice provided to the Trust’s Legal Services team – often providing additional help beyond what was expected of his role.
Community or Voluntary Service
Andrew Latham, Team Leader, Crawley Community First Responder Scheme – For his work, often going above and beyond, in his volunteering role with the development and roll out of the community first responder falls project, the proof-of-concept sees CFRs trained to support non-injured patient who have fallen.
Public Commendation
James McSharry and Tristan Woods-Scawen – for their quick-thinking and actions which saw them administer CPR and save the life of a man close to Sevenoaks Railway Station in September last year.