Chief life-saver’s special award

THE head of the North East Ambulance Service has been awarded a prestigious medal from the Queen in recognition of his life-saving work.

Paul Liversidge, chief operating officer at North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, has been awarded the Queen’s Ambulance Medal.

The honour, which is presented to recognise distinguished service in the ambulance service, honours the work Paul has done over his 33-year career in the ambulance service.

Paul, 55, from Newcastle, spent seven years saving lives on the front line as a paramedic. He then moved in to training roles, later becoming general manager for patient transport services.

When the NHS direct service was launched in Northumbria, Paul headed it, helping to establish what was one of only three pilot sites in the country for the now commonly used telephone health service.

Chairman Ash Winter OBE said: “We are all delighted for Paul’s recognition of his work in the region.

“He has made a significant contribution caring for patients and supporting our crews. This award is given to those in the NHS ambulance service who have shown distinguished or meritorious service, including service marked by exceptional ability, merit and exemplary conduct. “I can think of no other worthy recipient of this today than Paul and it is well-deserved.” Paul also became part of a specialist ambulance team that went to Kuwait to build the country’s ambulance service after the 1990 Gulf War. According to the service, he also played an “instrumental part” in introducing the air ambulance service in the North East by establishing and recruiting the senior management, which has since gone on to achieve charitable status, running three helicopters in the North. He was appointed a board director in 2000 and became chief operating officer in 2011, responsible for more than 1,800 emergency care, patient transport and operations centre staff in the service. Martin Flaherty OBE, managing director of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) said: “The AACE is exceptionally proud of all ambulance staff who go that extra mile to care for patients and contribute to the service.” Paul Liversidge