The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) came together for an inspiring evening of recognition and celebration at the NEAS Awards 2025: In the Spotlight, held at The Grand Hotel Gosforth Park, Newcastle, on Friday 11 July. Hosted by comic and radio presenter Alfie Joey, the event honoured the exceptional achievements of more than 50 staff members, selected from over 430 nominations submitted by colleagues and members of the public.
The evening also celebrated the incredible dedication of 120 long-serving employees who, between them, have given more than 3,000 years of service to the 2.7 million people across the 3,200 square miles that NEAS proudly serves.
This year’s event was made possible thanks to the generous support of NEAS’s valued sponsors; silver sponsors Teesside University, Ward Hadaway, UNISON, and Sintons and bronze sponsors Talk Works, MGI Learning, and Serve and Protect. Additional support was also generously donated by The Grand Hotel Gosforth Park. Their shared commitment to recognising healthcare excellence was reflected not only in their financial support, but in their active role in presenting awards and celebrating the contributions of NEAS colleagues across a wide range of categories.
The awards recognised contributions from across the 2024/25 period—a year in which NEAS answered over 1.4 million emergency 999 and NHS 111 calls, transported 288,000+ patients to hospital, provided telephone-based care to 139,700 patients, and delivered treatment in homes and communities to a further 139,000 people.
This year’s Patients’ Choice Awards honoured acts of care and compassion that left a lasting impression on patients and their families. In total, the service received over 80 nominations from patients whose lives had been touched by it’s incredible staff.
Redcar-based paramedic Rachel Clarke and ambulance support practitioner Gary McKenzie were praised for their lifesaving intervention when they stopped a patient from jumping off a flyover bridge near James Cook University Hospital. The pair received glowing reports from the service’s judging panel as well as hospital staff and witnesses who watched as they jumped to action to save the person from what would be a catastrophic fall.
Newton Aycliffe-based paramedic Hope Burrows and newly qualified paramedic Annabel Faulkner, and Peterlee-based paramedics Bobbie Dove and Lauren Schofield, also received recognition for going above and beyond for a young patient and her family following a scary medical incident which led to hospitalisation. The patient’s loved ones remarked about how the crews showed an exceptional level of care, taking time out of their busy shifts to check in on the patient and provide reassurance to her family. The judging panel made note of their exemplary care all round and their embodiment of the service’s values.
NEAS chief executive Kev Scollay said: “The vast majority of our colleagues don’t join the ambulance service for personal recognition or an award. Instead, they join to help people – on what can be some of the most difficult days of their lives. Whether they’re out on the road, in our emergency operations centre, or working hard behind the scenes in our support services, each and every single person who was nominated for this year’s awards embody the core values of our service.
“It is an honour to serve alongside them as Chief Executive and celebrate their achievements loudly and proudly! I hope that this year’s ceremony was able to do just that, and capture our sincere gratitude and thanks for everything that they do; our service is nothing without the people who work for it and dedicate the best part of their lives to patient care.
“Huge thanks also to our partners who have sponsored the event and supported this important milestone in our year.”
Among this year’s longest-serving honourees was Maureen Jordan (lovingly known as MoJo to friends and colleagues) who has worked for the service for 45 years. Maureen began her career in the ambulance service washing linen for the ambulances. The service has changed a lot since she began, but she remains part of the ever-important cleaning team.
Also recognised on the night was Ray Burns, who marked an impressive 35 years of service with NEAS. Ray has served in a variety of roles across the organisation, earning widespread respect for his dedication, professionalism and unwavering commitment to patient care. His contributions have supported countless patients and inspired colleagues over more than three decades of service.
The overall winner of the Chair’s Award was Newcastle-based health advisor Farhan Shah, who received the award for his ongoing hard work and incredible work ethic in the service’s emergency operations centre, and his bravery in reporting racial abuse which changed the way the service reported racial abuse and supported its colleagues of colour.
Chair of the service, Stuart Corbridge, said: “Farhan lives and breathes the values of our service to an exceptional level. Working incredibly hard as a health advisor and taking on average over 600 calls per month from the region’s patients, I was impressed to hear his story and the impact he has had on his colleagues and friends.
“Last year, Farhan made the very brave decision to report to the police racial abuse he experienced from a patient when he took their 999 call. This isn’t a decision he made lightly, but it set a precedent for our service: racial abuse will not be tolerated. We were more than happy to support Farhan through his proceedings and were touched when he decided to opt for the pursuit of restorative rather than criminal justice – marking Farhan’s desire not for punishment, but for change.
“This was an honourable decision that he made and represents to its core what Farhan is all about. I am incredibly proud to have chosen him as my winner for the Chairs’ Rising Star Award this year and look forward to seeing him continue to blossom in his very promising career in our service.”
The winners of the 15 categories were:
Excellence and Innovation
Research team
Working in Partnership
Empower staff network, estates team, and staff experience team
Highly commended: Andrea Raine
Leader of the Year
Joanne Parkin
Education and Training
Jenny Pattinson
Compassionate Care
Debbie Mattinson
Inclusion and Respect
Together staff network leaders
Outstanding Team
Patient transport transformation team
Outstanding Individual: Unscheduled Care
Matthew Storey
Outstanding Individual: Scheduled Care
Bob Bell
Outstanding Individual: Emergency Operations Centre
Olivia Salem-Fenwick
Outstanding Individual: Support Services
Pauline Hogarth
Unsung Hero
Brian Taylor
Patients’ Choice
Rachel Clarke and Gary McKenzie
Hope Burrows, Annabel Faulkner, Bobbie Dove, and Lauren Schofield
Chair’s Rising Star
Farhan Shah