SWASFT paramedic awarded Queen's Ambulance Medal
A paramedic from South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Ambulance Medal (QAM).
The esteemed award goes to Robert Horton, Responder Manager and Paramedic from Devon who joined the Trust in 2001.
In 2009 he joined the Trust’s Community Engagement Team to focus on developing community access to defibrillators. Rob has worked tirelessly, often in his own time, and with his team created over 3,500 defibrillators across the South West, together with an amazing team of 8,900 people who are trained every year by Rob and his team to respond ahead of an ambulance in our communities and businesses.
Rob created the first 999 Academy for 16 to 19 year olds in the country, a programme to create safer communities, build CV’s and inspire young people to take up a career in the emergency services. Following on from a road casualty reduction programme in North Devon, Rob developed the 999 Academy working with Devon & Cornwall Police, Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service and Petroc College.
Rob secured a grant from the Department of Digital Culture Media and Sport and the 999 Academy programme has expanded this year to Bridgwater & Taunton College in Somerset, with plans to create a 999 Academy in each county throughout the South West and to grow the programme nationally.
In 2011 Rob was promoted to head the Community Responders Department and through his dedicated leadership the Trust now has over 450 community groups and more than 1,000 Community First Responder volunteers. These trained volunteers respond to medical emergencies in their communities and businesses, often arriving on scene first to provide immediate care until the ambulance arrives.
Responder Manager and Paramedic, Rob said he is delighted at the news; “It is a real honour to be awarded the Queen’s Ambulance Medal and I feel immensely proud to work for the Trust.
“I am completely overwhelmed to be nominated for this prestigious medal. The announcement of the award on Friday was a complete shock and the level of reaction from family, friends and colleagues has been humbling. I carry out my role to the very best of my ability, energised by the amazing people I work with and by the volunteers of our South West community.
My ambition to enable Ambulance Service volunteering opportunities for our communities maintains my daily focus to seek new initiatives and programmes. I am extremely fortunate to see first-hand how beneficial volunteering for individual and community health really is. I am immeasurably grateful to the support of the Trust’s Directors who believe in the work I do with the team and the benefit we provide our patients and communities.”
Ken Wenman, Chief Executive South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, said: “There is an amazing amount of talent and dedication here in the South Western Ambulance Service and Rob is the absolute testament to that. He has developed the ambulance community voluntary responder scheme to the largest and most progressive in the country with over 8,900 volunteers, responding to emergencies ahead of an ambulance. I believe the 999 Academy has been one of the most significant initiatives aimed specifically at young people in the South West for many years. He has a great deal to be proud of as we are of him for receiving this award.”
Tony Fox Chairman, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said: “Congratulations to Rob on receiving this very much deserved award in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. It is a very much deserved accolade for all the hard work, effort and commitment to others, particularly engagement of volunteers and education. Rob shows great leadership with what he has achieved and we are very proud of him and grateful for all his hard work for the Trust.”
