On Monday 24 February the North East Ambulance Service recognised the dedication and commitment of thirteen of their emergency care colleagues as they were awarded the prestigious Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
The medals are issued under Royal Warrant and the recipients of this year’s medals have dedicated decades of their careers to helping others as part of the ambulance service and wider emergency services community. Their commitment exemplifies the values of compassion, professionalism, and excellence that define the service.
The medals were presented by Ms Lucy Winskell, OBE, the Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, on behalf of His Majesty the King at a ceremony at the Grand Hotel Gosforth Park. In attendance were emergency care colleagues from across the service and their loved ones, as well as the service’s chief executive Helen Ray, chief operating officer Stephen Segasby, and newly-appointed chairman Stuart Corbridge.
Helen Ray said: “We are immensely proud of all our recipients for their unwavering commitment and professionalism to ensure that patients receive the best possible care in their time of need.
“This year marks a historic moment as, for the first time, the medal will be awarded not only to our frontline ambulance crews but also recognises colleagues from our emergency operations centres, who play a crucial role in answering 999 calls and coordinating life-saving responses across the region.”
In 2023/24 health advisors at the North East Ambulance Service answered more than 1.1 million emergency 999 and NHS 111 calls, and treated more than 27,000 patients from across the North East over the phone. Emergency ambulance crews transported over 229,000 patients to hospital and more than 106,000 patients were treated at home.
The medal honours ambulance personnel who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and service over many years, often putting others before themselves in the most challenging and demanding situations. This recognition highlights the critical role that both frontline responders and emergency call handlers play in ensuring the safety and well-being of communities across the North East.
Mrs Ray continues: “It is only fitting that those who answer our emergency calls and provide vital support behind the scenes are recognised alongside our ambulance crews for their outstanding service, and we are happy that their dedication is now being recognised on a national scale. Congratulations to everyone and thank you for your lifelong dedication to the patients of the North East.”
The service’s deputy chief operating officer, Victoria Court, has had an incredible career beginning in 1999 at London Ambulance Service. She then headed oversees to work at Abu Dhabi’s ambulance service before eventually joining the North East Ambulance Service in 2016. She said: "I am very proud to work for the ambulance service. Having worked in various roles across three different ambulance services, it has always felt like being part of a larger ambulance family. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to help people—sometimes in very difficult circumstances. It is an honour to be recognised for 20 years of service alongside my colleagues."
Graeme Scott is a recipient of one of this year’s medals and works as a paramedic and duty officer for the service out of Cramlington station. Mr Scott joined the service in 1995 as an ambulance liaison assistant in our emergency operations centre and has had a varied and diverse career, qualifying as a paramedic in 2006. For Graeme, receiving the medal follows in the footsteps of his dad, Ken, who also worked for the service before retiring and who received the same award in the 1990s. He said: "I am extremely proud and honoured to receive this medal. It stands as a testament not only to my own journey but also to the inspirational support of my colleagues and mentors, past and present."