For our youngest-ever governor, it is the link he and his colleagues provide between our service and the public which makes our governor role essential.
18-year-old Zak Foley, from Brighton, embarked on his journey with SECAmb in 2023 when he was elected as a public governor for Brighton and East Sussex at the age of just 16.
Now, in addition to beginning a paramedic science degree at the University of Brighton, working as a lifeguard and volunteering for St John Ambulance, he performs a variety of statutory duties as a member of our Council of Governors.
“I’ve always been passionate about community engagement and ensuring that the voices of those the ambulance service responds to are represented,” explained Zak.
“I decided to become a governor not only to channel this passion but also to gain a deeper insight into the variety of work taking place in each area of the Trust.
“Behind the hundreds of thousands of calls for help made each year, there is a community that depends on responsive, compassionate care. It’s essential that there is a good connection between the public and the ambulance service.”
A long-time admirer of the ambulance service, performing the role of governor has provided Zak with a real insight into the way SECAmb departments work with each other and the wider NHS to provide patients with the care they require.
“Whether it’s attending our public events and meetings or visiting various parts of the Trust, I have seen the care, compassion and commitment which takes place day in, day out. Each day spent with SECAmb reminds me of the inspiring work taking place right across the Trust to benefit patient care.”
Zak witnessed this first hand recently when he visited one of our Unscheduled Care Navigation Hubs in Paddock Wood.
The multi-disciplinary hubs see our highly-skilled clinicians joined by specialist teams from across the local healthcare system to ensure 999 calls are receiving the most appropriate response. The multi-disciplinary hubs complement our existing urgent care hubs, which provide support and advice to ambulance crews.
Zak added: “It was a real privilege to visit our Paddock Wood hub recently. During the visit, I spoke with staff and observed first-hand the important role these hubs play in developing alternative care pathways and facilitating the most appropriate care response. This experience served as a valuable reminder of the ongoing innovation taking place around SECAmb to put service users first and support the future of practice. The future of the service feels brighter each day and I feel privileged to be part of the journey.”
To find out more about our Council of Governors please visit https://www.secamb.nhs.uk/how-we-do-it/council-of-governors/