Public urged to vote for their ambulance heroes

The Welsh Ambulance Service is inviting members of the public to nominate its staff for a coveted award.

The Trust is inviting nominations for its People’s Choice Award, designed for people in the community to extend a special thank you to a team or individual for providing excellent care.

The award will be presented at its annual Staff Awards ceremony in October, which this year will be held in Llandudno.

Members of the public whose entries have made the shortlist will also be invited to attend the glittering event at Venue Cymru.

Chief Executive Jason Killens said: “Our staff work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, often in difficult circumstances, and our Staff Awards are a celebration of their work.

“The People’s Choice Award is a unique opportunity for the public to pay tribute to a team or individual who has provided excellent care.

“It could be a paramedic, technician, urgent care assistant or community first responder who came to your aid when you were injured or unwell, or a volunteer car driver or member of the non-emergency transport service who makes your journeys to hospital that extra special.

“It could be a call handler or clinician in the control room, or one of our nurses at NHS Direct Wales or 111 who went beyond the call of duty to help and reassure you.

“Let us know who they are, how they helped and why they’re deserving of this award, and be part of this special celebration of our staff.”

Every year the Trust holds a ceremony to present long service and good conduct awards and an array of category awards, of which there are more than a dozen.

This year, the Trust is also inviting nominations for its Public Recognition Award, designed to recognise ordinary citizens who have gone to great lengths to help a patient or patients.

Jason added: “Our Staff Awards are a celebration of the fantastic work our people do every day to care for those at their most vulnerable, but it’s important also that we also pay tribute to people in the community who have helped their fellow citizens.

“Often in times of emergency, we rely on ordinary members of the public to administer first aid and care for patients until the arrival of an ambulance.

“There are also people out there who do sterling work to support us, like raise funds for life-saving defibrillators.

“Let us know about them too, so that we can reciprocate and say a special thank you.”

Click here to nominate a team or individual at the Welsh Ambulance Service for the People’s Choice Award.

Click here to nominate a member of the public for the Public Recognition Award.

The closing date for nominations is 1 May 2020.

Once entries have closed, staff and the public will be able to influence the winners by casting a vote online.

Keep abreast of all things Staff Awards by following us on Facebook (Welsh Ambulance Service) and liking us on Twitter (@WelshAmbulance) using the hashtag #WASTAwards20