Welsh Ambulance 'Wish' Service win national award
THE WISH Ambulance has won the Best Team in a national award ceremony.
Last week, in an award ceremony held in London, the initiative, which enables patients at the end of life to experience a meaningful last journey, was named the Best Team in The Sun’s Who Cares Wins Awards, hosted by Davina McCall.
The ceremony aired last night and celebrated healthcare heroes from frontline NHS staff to the ordinary people who go above and beyond, honouring nominees across 11 categories, including Best Nurse, Young Hero, Best Doctor and Best Team.
Ed O’Brian, Clinical Lead for Palliative and End of Life Care and co-creator of the Wish Service, said: “It’s fantastic that the Wish Ambulance Service has received this recognition, and it’s a testament to the remarkable work our volunteers do across Wales.
“It was a surreal night, with everybody, including the Prime Minster who presented the team with the award complimenting Team WAST and its Wish Service, with many amazed by the dedication of staff members who go the extra mile by helping people in their free time to have a meaningful last journey.”
Ed was joined by fellow co-creator and Assistant Director of Ambulance Care, Mark Harris, Ambulance Care Assistant Katie Morgans, Emergency Medical Technician Tom Pugh and Paramedic Mollie Marcel, with the latter three members of staff who participated in the journey’s highlighted on the night.
The first wish mentioned was for Lisa Parker and her husband, Barri, who died of bowel cancer earlier this year aged 41.
Their journey allowed Barri to experience Bute Park at Christmas time with his wife and their two children, a visit they had postponed the year before because of Covid-19.
The second was for Lisa Davies and her husband, Spencer Taylor, who was diagnosed with skin cancer six years ago.
With help from the Wish Service, they visited Saundersfoot Beach one last time before he died, aged 51, last September.
After receiving the award, Mark Harris, said: “We are honoured to be here tonight to receive this award on behalf of all the Wish staff across Wales.
“The Wish team is about helping people to spend some of their last few hours and days doing the things they love, in a place they love, with the people they love.
“We’d like to thank all of our volunteers for their incredible generosity in giving up their days off to make the wishes happen and the Welsh Ambulance Service for their wholehearted support for the service.”
Since its creation in 2019, the Wish Ambulance Service has grown to 180 staff and has enabled over 50 patients at the end of life to experience a meaningful last journey.
On the night, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who awarded the team, said: “When people come together as a team, they really can move mountains and the winners of tonight’s awards are certainly doing that.
“This is a group of extraordinary people who already give so much in their day job on the front line, but that hasn’t stopped them from doing something so truly remarkable in their spare time too.
To watch The Sun’s Who Cares Wins Awards click here.
Editor’s Notes
For more information, please email Beth.Eales@wales.nhs.uk