EMBARGOED - Ambulance heroes rewarded for going beyond the call of duty

ENDS

For more information and interview requests, please contact the NEAS press office on 0191 430 2099 or 07969 195069.

Photographs of the winners will be available after the event. A video about Bob is also available on request.

Please see below for the stories of each of the winners and highly commended. 

About North East Ambulance Service

North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS) covers 3,200 square miles across the North East region.  It employs more than 2,600 staff and serves a population of 2.7 million people by handling all NHS 111 and 999 calls for the region, operating patient transport and ambulance response services, delivering training for communities and commercial audiences and providing medical support cover at events.

In 2016/17 the service answered over 1 million emergency 999 and NHS 111 calls, responded to almost 300,00 incidents that resulted in a patient being taken to hospital, treated and discharged 24,000 patients with telephone advice and treated and discharged 92,141 patients at home. In the same year, emergency care crews responded to 126,673 Red incidents within national target of 8 minutes and completed 717,315 patient transport journeys.

50 years’ service - Bob Foster (Trimdon):

Bob, aged 74, began working for the ambulance service in May 1967 and went on to qualify as a paramedic. He now works bank shifts in Fishburn and Newtown Aycliffe as an ambulance care assistant, transporting patients to and from scheduled appointments.

He retired when he was 61 but didn’t last long before missing work and returned Monday-Friday. He tried dabbling with retirement again six years later but quickly returned on a bank basis and hasn’t looked back since.

“It just seems like yesterday that I was walking up Byron Terrace to join the ambulance service,” he said.

“I started out as a casual. I would listen to the stories that the crews told when they came on the station, talking about what they had been doing on their shifts, and I knew it was definitely something I wanted to do.

“Over the years I’ve made a lot of friends and I’ve made a lot of memories. The ambulance service has seen me through most of my life - my single days, my courting days, my married days and now it’s looking after me in my old age.”

Bob’s wife of 47 years, Ros, is a retired psychiatric nurse.

She said: “We never discussed work but I can’t imagine the things he’s seen.

“I’d wake up to find his uniform by the washer covered in clarts – he’d have been through fields and all sorts. One time they lifted him over a cliff in a cherry picker.

“In them days we didn’t have phones so I’d never know when he was coming home. I remember watching the telly one night, it was an awful night and there had been a nasty accident. I saw this man running with a bag on his back and said ‘that’s my husband!’

“He’s had more come backs than Frank Sinatra but he just loves it, the ambulance service has been his life,” said Ros. “He’s like a different man when he’s at work.

“I’m proud of what he’s done. People often say it’s about time I tell him to pack it in but as long as he’s happy and he can do the job I don’t think I have any right to say when he should finish. He’ll know when he’s ready.”

 

Winners and highly commended by category:

Chairman’s award – Sponsored by Ward Hadaway

This award is singled out from all nominations to recognise an overall winner at the Chairman’s discretion.

WINNER – Andrew Bell

Andy joined NEAS in 2000 as a call handler, having spent six years working for BT as an Emergency Operator; after spending eight years as a duty manager within the dispatch team in the Operations Centre, Andy is now leading the team as one of the assistant service managers for dispatch.

The Trust’s team of duty managers are at the heart of managing the Trust’s operational resources and often carry one of the biggest burdens of the ambulance service, working under immense pressure every day.

They are responsible for a team of dispatchers who ensure NEAS has the right staff on the right vehicles in the right places. This often involves making unpopular and difficult decisions in order to make sure patients are safe.

They also oversee welfare checks with operational staff to ensure they are safe on scene and are often the first to speak to a crew after a traumatic or upsetting incident, providing support and arranging further support if required.

Dispatch teams run like a family and the duty manager is at the head of that family. Andy’s nature has earned him respect not just within his own work family but the others around him.

Andy’s manager Lynn Pyburn said: “Andy’s worked in the Operations Centre for 17 years and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in managing the dispatch process and team.

“He is like a father figure to the teams and a mentor to the newer managers. Due to his experience and knowledge, he is the go to person for information and advice, which he offers with enthusiasm and passion.

“He’s been involved in a number of projects and his thoughts and ideas have moved the dispatch process on. The heart of his focus is always the patient.

“I am immensely proud to have Andy in my team and overjoyed to be able to offer him his new promotion which he thoroughly deserves.”

Earlier this year, an opportunity arose for Andy to further develop his skills whilst using his wealth of experience to enrich the call handling process within NEAS, when he temporarily stepped in as a section manager within the call handling team.

He took on his new task with enthusiasm and quickly got to grips with the various challenges presented to him, which he used in conjunction with his own knowledge and expertise to support the team.

His integrity, enthusiasm and effort rubbed off on the whole of the team and he has made a number of positive contributions, including improvements to the way call handlers are coached.

Always calm, fair and level headed, Andy makes the time to learn something about everyone he speaks to in order to make every interaction special.

One person who nominated Andy said: “I thank my lucky stars each and every day that Andy agreed to step in and provide much-needed support for me and my whole team.”

“I doubt whether Andy truly understands the profound impact he has had on our team so I hope this goes some way to ensuring that he knows how much he is appreciated.”

 

Emergency Care – sponsored by Ward Hadaway

This award recognises an individual who has demonstrated a clear commitment to delivering compassionate care to patients and their families in an emergency care setting. 

WINNER - Steven Miles (Cramlington)

Widely respected by paramedics on the road and hospital staff alike, senior paramedic Steven Miles works on the Critical Care Ambulance Response Unit (CARU) from headquarters, managing and delivering critical care support when needed.

Crews regularly request his help and Steve enjoys an unprecedented number of appreciations from staff and patients for the exceptional compassion, leadership, commitment and clinical expertise he shows.

Steve’s patient return of spontaneous circulation rate (ROSC) is unmatched within NEAS and there are many examples of where he has directly contributed to saving the lives of patients presenting with cardiac arrest and other critical conditions.

Acknowledged by those nominating him as a natural leader in highly charged and emotive emergency situations, Steve loves passing on his knowledge to others and is recognised as a ‘go to’ person at NEAS for advice on cardiac arrest, critical care and ECG analysis.

HIGHLY COMMENDED - Helen Britton (Murton)

Paramedic Helen was nominated for the care and compassion she provides her patients and her colleagues, helping to boost staff morale and providing vital support to students.

One person who nominated Helen said: “If I ever rang 999 for an ambulance, I would hope an individual as good as Helen would turn up to treat me, she is everything a paramedic should be.”

 

Innovation and Change, Sponsored by Ortus

This award recognises creative and original ways to deliver better patient care or services.  Making innovation a reality can feel like an impossible task and require support from different departments across the Trust.

WINNER – Michael Simpson (Newton Aycliffe)

The Paramedic Pathfinder Project was introduced as a pilot scheme in Sunderland to try and reduce the number of patients unnecessarily attending A&E by using the skills of paramedics.

The Pathfinder Project uses a ground-breading clinical triage tool for patient assessments. The tool helps paramedics make an extremely accurate diagnosis and confidently choose the most suitable place for treatment for those with non-critical conditions rather than having to err on the side of caution and take them to A&E.

Leading the project is experienced paramedic Mike, who has trained around 100 paramedics in the Sunderland area to use the tool.

Since the pilot began, more than 1,000 patients have been successfully referred to alternative care providers in Sunderland. As well as improving the patient’s experience by providing care tailored exactly to their needs, Pathfinder has helped to significantly reduce the load on Sunderland’s A&E departments.

Despite coming up against some initial resistance and cynicism, Mike has continued to champion Pathfinder and has won over many clinicians.

He has been a fantastic support to the communications team at NEAS and has taken part in many media interviews, including TV. Mike’s dedication to the project, and ultimately to patient care, has led to commissioners agreeing to extend the pilot in the Sunderland area for a further 12 months.

He is also now trying to expand it into other parts of the region.

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Shaun Robson (Fenham)

Last year Wideopen paramedic Shaun took on a temporary role of a paramedic co-ordinator, providing a key link between NEAS and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to help improve patient flow through the hospital. This in turn helped turn ambulances round quickly to allow them to respond to more patients.

With Shaun’s support, the QE became one of the highest performing A&E departments in the county.

 

Operations Centre – Sponsored by Ward Hadaway.

This award recognises an individual who has demonstrated a clear commitment to delivering compassionate care to patients and their families in an operations centre setting. 

WINNER - David Miles (North Shields)

Dual call handler for 999 and NHS111, Operations Centre coach, mentor, subject matter expert and step-up team leader - David Miles has a number of strings to his bow.

Considered an outstanding member of the team, David is always ready to help colleagues and is known for his wonderful caring and reassuring manner with patients.

He is the epitome of best practice, treating patients with the utmost compassion and respect whilst getting them the most appropriate care as quickly as possible.

Described as an excellent coach who helps colleagues grow in confidence and understanding, David always provides in-depth knowledge and constructive, positive feedback. As well as supporting existing staff, he coaches clinicians and brand-new recruits in the academy and grad bay.

With David the needs of the service come first and whether it’s changing 999 shifts or coaching and developing staff, he is always flexible and willing to help.

He’s also used his expertise to improve the Trust’s service. For example, when changes were introduced to the NHS 111 service in April this year, David developed an effective aide-memoire to remind staff of the changes and designed and delivered workshops too.

HIGHLY COMMENDED - Lynsey Redpath (Wideopen)

Team leader Lynsey has revolutionised the views of safeguarding within the Operations Centre at NEAS and has developed staff to become safeguarding champions. As well as her work within safeguarding, Lynsey was also nominated for the incredible support she provided to a member of staff during a difficult period of her life.

Outstanding Mentor – Sponsored by GMB and Unison.

This award recognises an educator and is open to any individual who either educates, mentors and supports others to help them develop new skills. 

WINNER – Amanda Weegram (Seaton Carew)

Hot on the heels of a regional award win at the 2017 National Apprenticeship Awards, team leader Amanda has added a NEAS award to the list.

Apprentices working within NEAS are its future lifeblood and they are carefully nurtured to develop into skilled and talented employees. Responsible for this within the Trust’s south division is Amanda.

Amanda has an excellent understanding of apprenticeship programmes and how they can contribute to the success of both individuals and the wider organisation. She provides guidance and constructive feedback to the apprentices to help them develop and progress within their role and eventually transforming them into skilled individuals who embody our values and make a difference to people’s lives.

Recognised as a great role model, Amanda values ongoing learning, not just for the apprentices but also her own personal development.

She is currently undertaking an advanced apprenticeship programme to achieve a level 3 diploma in management and uses her learning journey and own personal experience to guide and support the Trust’s apprentices so they can successfully complete their studies.

As well as regularly attending careers events, Amanda visits many FE colleges in her spare time to promote NEAS. This has been a huge success in raising the profile of NEAS as a great employer and in creating new networks for the Trust to engage with.

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Michael Charlton (Durham)

Paramedic mentor Michael is described as a dedicated and hardworking mentor who gives 110% to his students, both while on duty and in his own time.

He is keen to share his knowledge, not just with his own students but with any other students who require additional support.

 

Outstanding Support Services – Sponsored by Ward Hadaway.

This award recognises an individual who demonstrates an excellent level of support for internal and external customers.  Our customers are both patients who use our services, their families and carers, as well as our colleagues; people from other departments who need things from us in order to do their job effectively. 

WINNER: Ruth Bissell (Bowburn)

As divisional education and development facilitator at NEAS, Ruth co-ordinates the Trust’s annual training plan, oversees all placements for students and nurses at NEAS and manages external and internal observations.

NEAS’s training plan incorporates all of the training requirements for both the clinical and driving staff so it’s a complex and intricate piece of work. But thanks to Ruth’s exceptional organisational skills and determination, the plan is delivered efficiently and effectively meeting all of the workforce’s training needs. Ruth has also been instrumental in recruiting, retaining and supporting our body of paramedic mentors – making sure each student has a mentor.

Ruth goes above and beyond her normal role on a daily basis. Described by colleagues as a fountain of knowledge, she is always willing to help and many departments turn to her for advice and guidance.

Often the first point of contact for students, Ruth’s passion for training and education shines through and she creates a relaxed and unrivalled learning experience to bring out the very best in people.  

Ruth’s dedication in getting the best candidates trained speedily and efficiently ensures they get on the frontline to serve the patients as quickly as possible.

HIGHLY COMMENDED – David Graham (Denton Burn)

As the income generation co-ordinator within the Trust’s Specialist Skills team, Dave is responsible for bringing additional income into NEAS through specialist training, which is then re-invested into the frontline.

Dave is described as a hidden gem who uses his extensive knowledge and skills built up over the last 23 years to provide an invaluable service to the Trust.

 

Patient Transport Service – Sponsored by Ward Hadaway.

This award recognises an individual who has demonstrated a clear commitment to delivering compassionate care to patients and their families in a patient transport setting. 

WINNER - Donald Scott (Gosforth)

Ambulance care assistant Donald is described by his colleagues in Wideopen as an inspiration.

Don is a well-known face at NEAS having worked for the service for the past 46 years – first on A&E and now at the PTS service.

Don’s dedication is unquestionable. He hasn’t been off sick for 14 years! And every morning Don starts work an hour early to ensure his colleague’s vehicles are ready and working for them. Just one example of the many extra things he does without being asked.

For the last few years, Don has predominantly worked on the Castleside day unit for elderly patients with mental health and his care and compassion when dealing with these patients is witnessed regularly by colleagues. 

According to one colleague, once you meet Don you won’t forget him. His reliability and ability to forge strong working relationships with both his colleagues and staff at the day unit is acknowledged as helping to contribute towards NEAS winning the Castleside day unit contract for a further two years.

Don has also used his considerable experience of working in A&E and dealing with emergency situations on numerous occasions when stopping to help at several road traffic accidents.

In the words of one colleague: “Don is a kind, caring person who really deserves recognition for all he has achieved in the last 46 years. I hope one day I can say I’ve had the same dedication to service.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED - Alan Vaughan (Gateshead); Ian Ainsley (Seaham) and Peter Chadwick (Houghton le Spring)

Ambulance care assistant Alan was working as a single crew from South Shields when he stopped to assist an injured police officer whilst the officer’s colleagues detained the suspect. Alan would not normally have been dispatched to such an incident but put his own safety aside to provide medical assistance.

Ambulance care assistants Ian and Peter, who are both former police officers, were working together from Pallion station when they came across a suicidal man on the cliff edge in Seaham. Ian used his negotiation skills to persuade the man away from the edge and back to safety, whilst Peter liaised with his ambulance service colleagues and the police.

Public nomination – Sponsored by GMB and Unison.

This award is nominated by patients or relatives and acknowledges a person or team who through their excellent care and approach, made a significant impact.  Our patients are at the centre of everything that we do and it is essential that they feel cared for whilst they are using our services. 

WINNER – Maurice Farrelly (North Shields)

Ambulance care assistant Maurice is a dedicated driver for Walkergate Park Hospital - a special facility for people with a disability affecting the brain, spinal cord or muscles.

Described as a lifeline for the hospital’s patients, Maurice provides a service which regularly goes above and beyond the call of duty.

In fact, Maurice works so closely with the team at Walkergate Park, he is often mistaken as being part of Neurorehabilitation Services rather than NEAS staff.

There are numerous examples of how Maurice makes a difference to the lives of those at Walkergate Park. From the exceptionally caring way he deals with patients with extremely complex physical, cognitive and behavioural difficulties to the extra work he regularly takes on, Maurice is always committed to providing the very best service.

In the last three years, he has gained extensive knowledge of neurological conditions and the associated communication issues and management strategies so he can interact effectively with patients. Maurice treats every individual appropriately to their unique needs.

As the person nominating Maurice was keen to point out: “From hospital appointments and home visits to quality of life outings or wearing Santa hats, bunny ears and witches’ noses, Maurice never fails to oblige. Please help us to show him how much he is appreciated by the staff and more importantly the patients he serves.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: James Smith (Jarrow), Sophie Spraggon (Dunston), Paula Bell (Gateshead)

Working as a team, James, Sophie and Paula were called out to a 999 call involving an elderly lady with sepsis. They took the time to explain to the patient’s family what was happening and helped save her life. They even took the time to visit her in hospital afterwards to see how she was doing.

Senior Manager – Sponsored by GMB and Unison.

This award recognises the vital role that effective managers and leaders have within the Trust.  Judges were looking for someone who inspires people to achieve positive results, encourages team members to be innovative and who demonstrates fairness to ensure that opportunities for development are shared appropriately.

This category received the most nominations and was incredibly difficult to judge, with particularly strong entries for both the winner and the runner up.

WINNER – Elaine McDonald (Northallerton)

Since joining the Training Department as the head of workforce development in January 2016, Elaine McDonald has made a huge impact.

When Elaine arrived last year, the department had gone through a number of changes and challenges, which had been unsettling for the team.

Elaine’s colourful flourish and vast experience, creativity and tuition has empowered her team and with her encouragement and ever optimistic drive for improvement, her team has transformed into a department which is close to its goal of being a ‘Centre of Excellence’.

Her dedication and commitment to the team is contagious, reflecting in the quality of training provided to NEAS employees. Her team are now regularly volunteering to tackle new projects as well as actively seeking ways to improve the service they provide.

Elaine is described by one member of her team as “a fantastic inspiration to us all” adding: “The additional effort is not only refreshing but also the improvements that have been made are benefitting our patients every day.”

 

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Alan Gallagher (Consett)

As the head of Risk and Claims at NEAS, Alan is the go-to person for the Clinical Care and Patient Safety directorate.

He is proud of his role and is described as being approachable, positive and compassionate.

The person who nominated Alan said he felt privileged to work as part of his team.

 

Student of the Year – Sponsored by GMB and Unison.

This award recognises a rising star within the organisation, and someone who shows clear potential for the future. 

WINNER - Amy O’Hara (Spennymoor)

Amy is a student paramedic in her first year with NEAS and, although only in the early stages of her career, Amy is already demonstrating exceptional clinical decision-making ability.

She is professional and caring with all her patients and shows outstanding dedication to her work.

A recent example of this was the way Amy dealt with emergency call involving a female patient in mental health crisis out of hours.

Amy immediately recognised that Accident and Emergency was not the most appropriate place for this patient and called round a number of different teams until she found the right professional health care for her patient.

Recognising the patient’s husband was also struggling, Amy also ensured he received additional support to look after his wife.

HIGHLY COMMENDED - Jack Young (Hebburn)

Jack started his apprenticeship with the Trust’s Patient Transport Service as a shy young man and has flourished through the apprenticeship programme.

He has consistently demonstrated a natural ability to engage with patients and his desire to learn new skills has ensured he was able to pass his course and secure a permanent position as an ambulance care assistant at Gateshead station.

Jack’s care and compassion led him to win the category for the apprentice who has made the greatest contribution to patient experience at the Health Education England North East Apprenticeship Awards.

 

Team of the year – Sponsored by Ortus

This award recognises the work of an outstanding team within the Trust who have worked together effectively to deliver excellent service. 

WINNER – Occupational Health

Lesley Ellison (Houghton le Spring), Judith Bell (Gateshead), Christian Houlis (Low Fell), Rosie Hind (Benton), Emma Ford (Gateshead)

The Occupational Health team at NEAS work relentlessly to help improve the physical, psychological health and wellbeing of NEAS staff.

Individually and as a team, the Occupational Health Service go over and above to help their colleagues.

The team is regularly seen out-of-hours and at weekends visiting ambulance stations and A&E departments in their Occupational Health bus always with a tin of sweeties, a smile and a flu jab.

Thanks to the commitment and dedication of Occupational Health, the Trust has benefited from the highest take-up of the flu vaccination to date, with almost 50% of frontline staff now vaccinated. As well as protecting staff and ultimately patients, this achievement helped the Trust secure a substantial pot of money for the service.

The problem of workplace stress is a common one and the Occupational Health team has developed a range of psychological services to help reduce the issue. Thanks to their work the Trust achieved ‘best in class’ in the annual staff survey in relation to dealing with staff feeling unwell due to stress.

Our Occupational Health team make an enormous difference to the lives of NEAS staff. In the words of one person nominating the team: “During my period of illness, Lesley Ellison and Judith Bell from the Occupational Health team supported me in ways I did not imagine possible. Timely interventions on my behalf meant I didn’t get lost in hospital paperwork and on a number of occasions was seen by GP rather than being fobbed off. These two ladies are pivotal to the wellbeing of staff through periods of illness and embody the caring attitude of the service.”

 

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Advanced practitioners

This team of dedicated senior paramedics and nurses have significantly supported three new urgent care contracts awarded to NEAS over the last year. This has included taking on additional responsibilities, such as supporting telephone triage within the Trust’s Clinical Hub and home visit work within urgent care services. It has also included new shift patterns and work bases, all handled with professionalism and commitment.

Their work has enabled 85% of patients they have assessed within the Clinical Assessment Service to be treated and discharged or referred to a less urgent services within the community, relieving the pressure on emergency departments. Their home visits are also helped to ease the pressure on GP workload.

 

Unsung Hero - Sponsored by Ortus

This awards recognises those who regularly go over and above what would normally be expected as part of their job role to make and strengthen community links. 

WINNER – Mark Hunter (Ryton)

As section manager for the 111 service, Mark works with commissioning groups, urgent care providers and the Operations Centre team to ensure the Trust’s processes and procedures are efficient and provide the best level of care to patients.

In April major changes to better integrate 111 with other urgent and emergency care provision came into force. These changes aim to make 111 the ‘front door of the NHS’ and are the biggest reforms since its roll-out in 2013.

Mark took responsibility for the transition of the new service, sharing his unrivalled knowledge throughout and communicating throughout with team leaders, call handlers, section managers, the project team and the urgent care providers to ensure a smooth changeover.

Before the launch, Mark worked closely with partners on the project, often against extremely tight deadlines, but always with a smile and without complaint.

Liaising with hundreds of call handlers, 30 team leaders and 60+ clinicians is no mean feat and all had to be up-to-speed and aware of the changes and possible problems. When launch date came, it coincided with a Saturday, providing the additional challenge of large volumes of calls and weekend workers, who all had to start taking calls immediately.

Even though Mark wasn’t scheduled to be at work that day, he came to support the team and act as a go between – even responding to emails in the middle of the night.

Mark’s swift response to issues and relentless action to get processes and responsibilities agreed ensured the Trust maintained excellent patient care throughout.

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Barry Dixon (Wideopen)

Barry Dixon, who recently retired after 37 years with the service, has held a number of roles within NEAS, most recently delivering statutory and mandatory training for the Trust’s thousands of frontline employees.

Barry has worked long beyond his retirement as an extension of his passion for the service and has been the font of all knowledge for many members of staff.

The person who nominated Barry said: “There are many deserving nominees in the awards process. Barry hasn’t saved a life, attended a difficult scene or introduced an innovative new process; however his work is at the foundation of all patient care.”

Volunteer of the Year - Sponsored by Ortus

Volunteers provide an invaluable service to the Trust and our patients, and can enhance the patient experience immeasurably.  All of our volunteers go ‘over and above’, and this award seeks to say thank you to an individual, whilst acknowledging the great service that all of our volunteers provide.

WINNER – Gloria Middleton (Carville)

Gloria has worked in the NHS for 30 years and 11 years ago volunteered to be a community first responder for NEAS where she has regularly gone over and above to help NEAS and her community ever since.

Gloria responds whenever needed, either from home or at peak times from work, to provide lifesaving immediate first aid in those vital minutes before an ambulance arrives.

She recently attended a British Heart Foundation Heartstart course and an instructor course for defibrillators so she could pass on these emergency lifesaving skills to community groups.

And when training others Gloria never fails to make an impact. The Trust receives fantastic feedback from groups benefitting from her skills, such as community groups and Brownies who achieved their first aid badges thanks to her help.

When asked why she does it, she explains, “I love being a volunteer. I just want to give something back to the community.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Alvin Purvis (Cramlington)

As well as working for NEAS as an emergency care assistant full time, Alvin gives up his spare time to volunteer as a community first responder in his local community.

Alvin regularly visits schools and local groups to teach CPR and promotes NEAS through events as well as supporting local charity North East Hearts with Goals in installing community defibrillators.