South East

This pair go above and beyond, every day of their working lives and personal lives to ensure that their teams are always trained, motivated and informed to the best of their abilities. They inspire the teams daily and promote the values of the Trust, to the letter. The quality of their work ethic is phenomenal, and they never give up. The respect and admiration that the team have for them is beyond comprehension.

Bethan is a constant source of motivation and encouragement, always challenging themselves and others to reach their full potential. She consistently invests time and energy in mentoring and guiding individuals, helping them overcome obstacles and discover their own path to success. Her compassion, combined with her unwavering dedication, has transformed countless lives, and has set a benchmark for excellence in our organization.

Sophia initially started in WAST in the Clinical Contact Centre but left a few years later to pursue a career in anaesthetics, while staying on Bank contract. I had the pleasure of working with Soph in the contact centre on the 999 lines before she became poorly and have learnt so much from working with her. I now have the pleasure of working with her again in the Resource department. She is the most inspirational person I have ever met. To be able to continue fighting after everything that has happened and still be the wonderfully witty and bubbly person that I first met over a 999 call.

Georgina is a wonderful and inspiring paramedic. Upon working with her and seeing how she deals with patients and other staff members it's inspiring to see such a positive and hardworking young lady. She is always willing to help, nothing is too much. Georgina is very inspiring to students, always getting them to want to know more and be more confident in themselves.

Simon is a dedicated member of staff and someone who is committed to helping and supporting others. He has been pivotal in the creation, development and running of the Mental Health Practitioners within the Clinical Support Desk and is committed to the piloting of Mental Health Response Vehicles in WAST for Wales.  A true sunshine yellow team motivator and inspirer.

Bethan has inspired everyone she meets. Bethan is a true member of #TeamWAST and represents the Trust impeccably. Her work with the International Academy for Emergency Dispatch has not only improved care for the people of Wales but she has in fact been invited to be part of the IAED Obstetrics council as a subject matter expert, influencing Medical Priority Dispatch System coding for around the world. Bethan is always happy to teach and has proven an extremely popular facilitator for CSD Bitesize learning sessions.

I would like to nominate Ashley for his dedication to not only service improvement but his commitment to inspire others to enhance their clinical development. His investment in the clinical practice of others is admirable. He is continuously thinking of ways to engage with his colleagues, scoping their thoughts on where knowledge and practice could be improved.

Due to a turnaround of staff within the EMS Coordination Learning and Development department Anna was the only staff member within the team arranging and producing training for all three Clinical Contact Centres across Wales.  She made the commitment to take on two projects simultaneously and has remained flexible, positive and demonstrates WAST behaviours every day. She has inspired me in my new role and has shown nothing but encouragement and support for me, The L&D team and WAST.

Huw has been able to inspire others with his uplifting personality, despite the most challenging conditions both as an emergency Paramedic (on the road and within the Clinical Contact Centre) and adapting to his own conditions. Huw has the ability to remain happy in the most difficult of circumstances and would be a fantastic role model for all staff.

There is no other way to express it, Claire is an inspiration to the South East Locality Team. Every day she brings her 'A-Game'. Supporting not only her own locality but developing and covering the administration of the other areas of the South East. Without a moments fuss or drama and with no desire to stand in the limelight Claire has quietly and consistently set the standard for over ten years.

John has developed as a true Advanced Clinician, supporting trainee Advance Paramedic Practitioners and colleagues around him with clinical placements in Primary Care and Clinical Supervision sessions, which are inclusive, well attended and a forum for open honest conversation to support learning and development. He has taken on new challenges to develop his pillars of advanced practice, providing education sessions, and speaking at key conferences. A true leader he strives to bring those on around him, often in his own time, and we are grateful for the contribution and commitment he shows to his profession and this organisation

Jason must be one of the most patient people I have ever met. Whether it’s with me of one of his student paramedics, he takes the time to explain procedures, gives you the practice time to sharpen your skills, and no question is ever a silly one. In difficult situations he is very supportive. Every shift is done with a smile and normally a good laugh too. It is a privilege to be able to work with him. Thank you, John.

Deborah Armstrong is an absolute credit to the organisation and her work often goes unnoticed by many. She leads the Education, Professional and Clinical Practice Team and constantly inspires them to develop their skills and knowledge, which is then transferred across the service to clinicians, non-clinicians and ultimately patients. Deborah is always looking to better what we do in the safest most effective way for patients and service users, as well as her staff and is always so positive and encouraging to all who need her assistance.

Sarah is one of the most hard-working individuals I have worked with and sets herself extremely high standards. Since joining the team just over two years ago, Sarah has continuously developed herself through self-directed learning, taking on all feedback positively. Sarah is never afraid to challenge herself. She commits to identifying learning that can help both the EMS Coordination team as well as patients is an inspiration to others. Sarah is a true team player, and we are lucky to have her in the team. 

Meg is very informative, motivating and ensures all staff call takers and dispatch are communicating with each other by providing us with seating plans with everyone names, so nobody feels left out. She always has a smile on face with a positive attitude, which is affectious. She’s willing to help others, is very approachable and nothing seems to phase her. If she does not know the answer, she will find out.

Caroline inspired, supported and encouraged me to apply for a secondment role in Palliative care, which I was successful in obtaining. Despite being employed by the Ambulance service for 30 years I felt a lack of confidence in my own ability and worth. She patiently encouraged me to have the confidence to apply and made sure I had an up-to-date PADR. She also provided me with a contact to discuss the role prior to application. Then gave me good advice in preparation of the interview. She truly is a kind helpful person who always tries to help others and does so with a smile and great sense of humour.

A few months ago, a member of staff in Clinical Contact Centre experienced a medical emergency. Multiple clinicians assisted in assessing and caring for the patient. Jack displayed such compassion, understanding and professionalism. His care and commitment in maintaining the patient's dignity, whilst amongst the noise and view of other staff within CCC was a real joy to witness. His values and high-quality practice shone through that day, and it re-enforced what a credit he is to the service. His continuous positive approach and friendly nature is a welcomed addition to the CCC.

In 1985, 38 years ago, before many of WAST staff were even born, Kevin Dwyer began his WAST career. He is an inspiration to the Paramedic profession. Not just the profession, but to anyone wishing for a long, fruitful career. He has always been known as Mr approachable, always willing to share an experience, to help others on their own paths, always with humour and always the consummate professional. Kev has always been able to adjust to change, of which there has been a multitude during his career. No dwelling on the past days, but able to adapt to the present and with excellence. Never a drop in his impeccably high standards, he remains an inspiration to us all.

Vanessa started in WAST a few years later than me, and has proven that with strength, determination, and hard work that goals and dreams can be achieved. Vanessa has worked hard to complete her master’s whilst, working full time and has always given 100% to her role from NEPTS up to Locality Manager. Vanessa has inspired others to look at their next steps in WAST and to never give up on hard work and determination.

Owen has shown great leadership ability since he took over the running of the Bridgend Locality. He has supported and guided colleagues of all grades. The level of morale has lifted in the area, and everyone is more enthusiastic in their work. The locality has improved in all key areas. He is an inclusive and inspirational leader who is taking us all on his journey with him. It is a pleasure to work with him.

At the start of this year, I enquired about coaching and myself and Laura were connected. From the start, Laura gave me her full attention, listened to my struggles and was non-judgemental, and we quickly built a rapport. Throughout every session she was my sounding board, guiding me gently to find the answers on my own, allowing me to think things through properly and work out my next steps, and of course motivating and encouraging me to go for it. Laura's positive and fun vibe is infectious - I was always excited for our sessions and left each one feeling empowered. Laura's insight and inspiration has changed my mind set and the things that I have learnt will stay with me throughout my life and my career.