Every member of the NEAS family has their own story to tell.
Over the last 20 years, thousands of staff and volunteers have cared for patients, supported colleagues and helped shape the service we know today. Together, their experiences tell the story of how NEAS has grown, adapted and continued to meet the changing needs of our communities.
As part of our NEAS20 celebrations, we've spoken to colleagues past and present about the moments that have stayed with them, the changes they've witnessed throughout their careers and what they hope the future holds for healthcare and the ambulance service.
Read their stories below and discover the people behind the uniform, the role and the badge.
Andrew Hodge
When I joined Northumbria Ambulance Service in 1995, I didn't have a grand plan to build a career in healthcare.
I started on Patient Transport Service in Berwick and, if I'm honest, I wasn't entirely sure where it would lead. It was only during my breaks, when I had the chance to shadow paramedics, that I began to see what the profession was really about. Watching them work sparked something in me and made me realise this was a career I wanted to pursue.
I trained as an ambulance technician in 1997 before qualifying as a paramedic in 1999. A year later I took the opportunity to work for Queensland Ambulance Service in Australia, gaining invaluable experience and seeing a different approach to pre-hospital care.
Looking back, my career has really been shaped by taking opportunities when they've presented themselves. I've never felt the need to rush from one role to the next. Instead, I've tried to build strong foundations, learning as much as I could in each position before moving on.
Over the years that journey has taken me into advanced practice, urgent care and Yorkshire Ambulance Service before returning home to North East Ambulance Service in 2023 as director of paramedicine.
One of the defining moments of my career came in 2016 when I became a consultant paramedic. That role changed how I viewed the profession. It wasn't just about delivering patient care anymore – it was about helping shape the future of paramedicine and influencing the direction the profession could take.
When I first became a paramedic, the role looked very different to the one we know today.
Technicians completed around six weeks of training and paramedics trained for just 12 weeks, with a significant focus on emergency interventions such as cardiac arrest, trauma, intubation and administering life-saving drugs.
Back then, our role was almost entirely centred on emergency care. We took patients to hospital because that's what we did. I can honestly say I don't remember stopping to ask whether there was another option.
Today, the profession has transformed.
Paramedics now complete university degrees over several years and develop a much broader range of clinical skills. We care for increasingly complex patients, make far more advanced clinical decisions and, wherever appropriate, provide treatment within the community rather than automatically conveying patients to hospital.
The complexity of the job has undoubtedly increased, but so has our profession's ability to meet that challenge.
As director of paramedicine, my role has changed significantly from my days on the frontline. While patient care remains at the heart of everything we do, my focus is now on representing the profession, supporting our workforce and helping shape the future of the ambulance service.
A large part of that is asking what comes next. How do we continue to improve patient care? How do we support our clinicians? What should the ambulance service look like in 10 years' time?
I think the future will involve even greater use of diagnostics, digital technology and innovation. We'll continue to develop new ways of working and expand our workforce so we can provide increasingly sophisticated care closer to people's homes.
The ambulance service has always evolved to meet the needs of the communities it serves, and I believe that will continue.
If I had one piece of advice for someone starting their career today, it would be to stay patient and embrace opportunities when they come along.
You rarely know where your career will take you, and you can't always predict what's around the corner. But every opportunity you take helps build your experience and prepares you for the next one. Looking back, it's those opportunities—rather than a carefully mapped-out plan—that have shaped my own career.
Nearly 30 years after I first joined the ambulance service, I still feel privileged to be part of a profession that continues to grow, innovate and make such a meaningful difference to people's lives. I'm excited to see where the next generation of paramedics takes it.
Lynn Huldie
I am head of service in Dispatch – Emergency Operations Centre. I joined NEAS on 2 July 1990
I grew up surrounded by the NHS. My mam was a nurse and my dad worked in the ambulance service in the Emergency Operations Centre, so caring for people was all I ever knew. I didn’t actually tell my dad I’d applied, I was worried he might talk me out of it! I applied under my new married name so no one at interview would recognise who I was. When I finally told him I’d got the job, he was absolutely thrilled. It felt like continuing a family legacy.
I joined as a Doctors Answering Service operator and quickly became a 999 call handler. It was a completely different world then, no advanced systems, no digital triage, no headsets. Just a phone, pen, paper, and a dispatcher sitting next to you waiting for the message you’d written by hand.
Being given the opportunity to reshape how Emergency Operations Centre staff were trained, coached and mentored is something I’ll always be proud of. When I started, training meant sitting beside someone, listening to a call, and then being thrown straight in to take the next one yourself.
I helped establish our current Emergency Operations Centre training department, modernising how we prepare people for such a challenging role. I was even given the chance to share our work nationally, lecturing to ambulance services across the country who wanted to follow our lead. Knowing I played a part in raising the standard of training across the sector is something I will never forget. Bringing into the ambulance service the Clinical triage tool that defines what we do now across the UK.
One call in particular has stayed with me throughout my entire career. It was a child death in Amble. A young mother called 999 as a last resort after phoning everyone else she could think of. Her baby had croup and had stopped breathing. We had no clinical triage systems then, no digital prompts, no on‑shift clinical support. I had to talk her through CPR on her six‑month‑old for an extended period, even though from what she was describing, I knew we were unlikely to get a positive outcome.
At the time, my own son was a similar age. It was incredibly traumatic and it completely shaped my understanding of what our staff face and what support they need. That single call influenced so much of the work I later did to improve training, wellbeing support, supervision, and how we prepare staff for the emotional impact of this job.
There are so many moments across 36 years some chaotic, some heart-warming, and some that still make me laugh out loud. One that always brings a smile is remembering the old days when everything was done manually. Paper messages being passed down a row of dispatchers like we were running a relay race half the time with someone shouting “Who’s got the pen?!” terrified to turn paper over at the end of shift in case it was a call you had started!! We’ve come a long way, but that sense of camaraderie and humour has always been part of who we are.
NEAS means family. A big, ever‑changing, sometimes dysfunctional, but always committed family. Across nearly 36 years I’ve seen huge changes people coming and going, services evolving, technology transforming everything we do but the heart of the service has always been the same.
NEAS has shaped me, broken me (once over), supported me, challenged me and taught me more about resilience, compassion and teamwork than I ever expected. I am incredibly proud to be part of it.
Change at NEAS? It has been immense.
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We’ve gone from paper and pen to world‑class digital systems.
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From having no visibility of vehicles to live satellite tracking and instant communication.
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From no structured triage tools to highly advanced clinical systems guiding people through CPR within seconds.
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And of course Paramedics! They didn’t really exist as a defined profession when I started.
The transformation has been extraordinary, and I’m proud to have lived through every stage of it.
I’m proud of the changes I’ve helped make, especially around training, staff support, and service improvement. I’m proud of the friendships I’ve gained, the teams I’ve helped grow and lead, the culture I’ve influenced, and the countless patients whose care has been shaped by what we do in EOC every day. Above all, I’m proud to have played a small part in helping staff feel supported and patients’ lives saved and patient we have cared for.
Believe in yourself, trust the training, and never be afraid to ask for help.This job will challenge you, but it will also reward you in ways you can't imagine. Lean on your colleagues, stay curious, and remember that every single call you take and every decision you make genuinely matters to someone’s life.
And above all, be proud of the role you play. It’s extraordinary.
Fiona Baynham
I joined the former Northumbria Ambulance Service as a personal secretary on 21st May 1990. I worked at a local hospital as a medical secretary and my boyfriend at the time worked for the ambulance service and told me about a secretarial role that was being recruited to.
I am proud to be part of NEAS as an executive assistant and have seen first-hand the professionalism of the emergency operations centre and frontline staff.
In my role, the evolving technology has been the biggest change. From large clunky computers and typewriters to laptops and mobile phones and from everything being paper based, to hardly any physical paperwork. Also, when I went on maternity leave in July 1999, we used paper-based diaries; when I returned in March 2000 we had moved to office automation. Since COVID, I work mainly from home as opposed to being in the office every day. I have gained ever-evolving technological skills.
I am proud of my length of service and I would definitely advocate NEAS as a good place to work.
I think that in 20 years, technology will have evolved even further and that AI will be used a lot more. Hopefully though there will still be the need for secretarial staff.
James Atkinson
I’m a paramedic and I joined NEAS in 2015. I've had a number of different careers from engineering within the steel industry to journalism, but the ambulance service provides extraordinary challenges like no other role. We have the unique privilege to provide emergency care across our region, attending to calls that from primary care to time critical emergencies. I feel very proud to work as a paramedic for NEAS and deliver our service.
I initially started NEAS on the ICAT vehicle as an emergency care assistant, before moving to unscheduled care out of Peterlee. Since then, I've worked as a CCA out of the Tees Cluster, before completing my Paramedic degree.
I was able to partake in the BBC series 'Ambulance' as a student paramedic. I found it so interesting to be able to see the full course of a call, from initial contact to handover. These programs are common, so I'm proud to be part of the team that showcased NEAS.
Over the years, I have had a lot of laughs. If the diving educators are reading this, they may recall the worlds-largest chip, stolen in a lost bout with a seagull while driver training in Harrogate!
There have been many positive changes since I joined the service. The first main change is the scopes of practice across all the roles within NEAS. The expectation that the ambulance service is taken to hospital is a thing of the past, attributed to the fact we now have various alternative care pathways, and the varied roles within NEAS all play a part in that.
Before I joined NEAS, I had no expectation of gaining any qualifications. However, I am now very proud to not only have completed my level three diploma but continue my learning to attain a first-class degree in paramedic science, all supported by NEAS.
Spending my graduation day surrounded by my cohort will always be the one to remember. As the first group to do the course internally with NEAS, it was definitely a special moment knowing that we had completed the course and met the registration requirements.
If you’re looking for the opportunity for a challenging and rewarding career, then look no further. The roles are ever-changing with developments, so no matter what your background is, from an established career to a complete change, there's a role for you!
Pre-hospital care is constantly changing, with huge changes in my last decade with NEAS. Patient care is the centre of everything we do. Aside from an electric fleet of ambulances, I would love to see ambulances have point of care blood testing for conditions such as chest pain, and I'm sure there will be many more pathways in place, in partnership with the surrounding NHS services.
Louise McKay
I started as an advanced technician in 2005 and I am currently a specialist paramedic in urgent care.
Joining the service was the best move I made but the job can take a lot from you both mentally and physically. My advice would be to seek help and support when you feel you need it or listen to your colleagues if they notice you are struggling and seek help and support. There is no shame in admitting you are struggling for whatever reason and the service has some great services to help.
I have worked with some exceptional paramedics that I looked up to and really wanted my practice to be as good as theirs. I have had some great laughs over the years, sometimes getting the giggles at the most inopportune moments.
Being part of the NEAS team makes me very proud. Being able to help someone on one of their worst days is an honour and a privilege.
One moment I’ll never forget from my time at NEAS is delivering a baby on my own for the first time, with the baby being born completely within the embryonic sack, apparently it is very lucky.
The service has changed so much since I joined. There were very few females in the service and some of the older hands did not expect me to be able to do the job or lift a patient because I was female. Luckily time has moved on and this is no longer an issue.
I believe that in 20 years the ambulance service will be very similar to how it is now, fundamentally nothing will change, I imagine we will still respond to patients in need as we are currently. Maybe some equipment/vehicles will change but the core role will be the same. The iPad has made a huge difference to the role and the sat nav in the vehicles, no more A-Z’s!
I think I have developed good communication skills since working for the service and have been able to interject some humour where appropriate to put the patients at ease.
I am most proud of the length of service I have achieved and the qualifications I have obtained over the years while juggling a family, home and social life.
Bruno Porter
I became a Community First Responder 25 years ago after witnessing first-hand just how vulnerable rural communities could be when medical help was needed.
That experience stayed with me. I realised there was something practical I could do to help, and volunteering as a Community First Responder gave me the opportunity to make a real difference to the people living in my local community.
I never imagined that what started as a desire to help would become such an important part of my life.
Over the past 25 years, I've attended countless emergencies, often arriving before the ambulance crew. Those first few minutes can make all the difference. Sometimes it's about delivering immediate clinical care, sometimes it's about providing reassurance to a frightened patient or family member, and sometimes it's simply about letting people know they're not facing one of the worst moments of their lives alone.
I've had the privilege of working alongside ambulance crews and air ambulance teams, supporting them in delivering life-saving care and helping patients receive the treatment they need as quickly as possible.
Being a Community First Responder has taught me that no two calls are ever the same. Every patient, every family and every situation is different, but the one constant is knowing that your presence can make a genuine difference.
People sometimes ask why I've continued volunteering for so long, and the answer is simple. It's never been about recognition. It's about giving something back to the community and being there for people when they need someone most.
Knowing that I've been able to help my neighbours during some of the most difficult moments of their lives is incredibly rewarding, and that's what has kept me volunteering for the past quarter of a century.
One of the things I'm most proud of is being part of a wider team. Community First Responders don't replace ambulance crews—we work alongside them, helping to bridge the gap until they arrive. It's a fantastic example of what can be achieved when volunteers and professional colleagues work together with the same shared goal of providing the very best care for patients.
Looking back over the last 25 years, I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of so many people's stories. While emergency calls are often remembered for the difficult moments, they're also filled with acts of kindness, teamwork and compassion.
Volunteering as a Community First Responder has given me far more than I could ever have expected. It's been an honour to serve my community, and I hope to continue doing so for many years to come.
Neville Jones
For as long as I can remember, the ambulance service has been part of my life.
I'm the youngest of the Jones family, and between us we've given more than 200 years of service to North East Ambulance Service and its predecessors. It all started with my dad, Alan, who joined what was then Northumbria Ambulance Service in 1963, back when they were called ambulance men.
I was probably about six years old when I knew I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Dad would come home talking about his day, and sometimes he'd even bring the ambulance home and park it outside. I can still remember the smell of it, how immaculate it always was, and how smart he looked in his uniform. Watching him progress through the service made me incredibly proud, and I remember thinking, "That's what I want to do when I'm older."
I might have been the baby of the family, but I wasn't the first to join. My older sister Deborah, my brothers Tony and Steven, and later my brother-in-law Paul all built careers in the ambulance service too. Deborah worked in control before becoming a specialist respiratory nurse at the RVI, while Paul continues to work as a part-time paramedic at Rothbury. Tony and Steven both retired and returned, and today we're all based together at Wallsend station.
While she never wore the uniform herself, I'd also like to mention my mam, Winnie. She was always behind every one of us and was my dad's biggest supporter throughout his career. None of us would have achieved what we have without her.
I'm incredibly proud of what our family has accomplished. I don't think we'll ever see another family reach more than 200 years of service, but we've all loved being part of the ambulance service, and for me it's been an amazing journey.
I joined Northumbria Ambulance Service in 1991, starting part-time on patient transport services at Blenheim Street before moving into a full-time role at Hexham. Six months later I was back at Blenheim Street on stretcher vehicles, and in 1994 I completed my advanced technician course.
Just two weeks later I received a letter asking if I'd like to become a driving instructor because they had been so impressed with my driving. I was young and eager to be on the frontline though, so I turned it down. Looking back, I don't regret that decision for a second.
Over the years I've worked at Hebburn, Blaydon, several stations across Newcastle, Blucher and Backworth, before eventually settling at Wallsend.
The job has changed enormously during my career. We used to find every address using an A–Z and local knowledge, and after the ambulance services merged we suddenly found ourselves responding in areas we didn't know very well. Thankfully we eventually returned to working more locally, and then sat navs arrived, which made life a lot easier.
The equipment has transformed too. Our Zoll defibrillators have made a huge difference, and the lifting equipment we have today is brilliant. The ambulances themselves have come a long way as well. When I first joined they were fairly basic vehicles, whereas now they're almost intensive care units on wheels.
Training has advanced just as much. It's so much more comprehensive than when I started, and I can only imagine how much further paramedicine will develop over the next 20 years.
One of the biggest changes I've seen isn't the equipment, though—it's how we look after each other. Years ago you were expected to finish your shift and simply get on with it, but the jobs we attend stay with you. Today there's much more recognition that looking after your wellbeing is just as important.
Some jobs stay with you for the best reasons. Delivering babies has always been my favourite part of the role. They're nerve-racking because so much can happen, but thankfully every baby I've delivered has arrived safely. A few years ago I attended a patient and, while chatting to her, she told me I had delivered her daughter 20 years earlier. Then her daughter walked into the room and I got to meet her. Moments like that are incredibly special.
Equally rewarding are the occasions when you know you've genuinely saved someone's life. There's no better feeling than helping someone who's critically ill, getting them through the worst moment of their life, and knowing that without your team they might not have survived.
If I had one piece of advice for anyone joining the ambulance service, it would be to think carefully about your approach to the job. The way you approach this career will determine how long you last. Always come to work determined to do your very best for every patient because they're relying on you.
The job we do isn't normal. We see people at the very worst moments of their lives. Over the years I've found humour is one of the things that gets us through. My unofficial role has always been morale officer—I like making people laugh and being a bit daft.
I've also learned the importance of switching off. I call it "ambulance mode". At the end of every shift, once I get into my own car, I leave work behind and go back to normal mode. That's helped me throughout my career.
Looking back, I feel incredibly lucky. I've spent my career doing a job I always dreamed of doing, alongside members of my own family, helping people when they needed us most. I couldn't have asked for anything more.
Andy and Johny Bell
I joined North East Ambulance Service in 2018 as a student paramedic, but my journey into the ambulance service really started long before that.
Before joining NEAS, I served in the Royal Marines as a medic. Looking back, I think my decision to become a paramedic was shaped by two things. The first was the work I did in the Marines, where caring for people and helping them through some of the most challenging situations imaginable became second nature. The second was growing up with a dad who worked for the ambulance service.
Having someone so close to you working in the service means you're naturally exposed to what life in the ambulance service is really like. You don't just hear about the exciting jobs – you also see the pressures, the responsibility and the realities of the role.
When I left the Royal Marines, the ambulance service had funded student paramedic positions available. I'd already used my opportunity to study for a degree while serving, so going down the traditional university route wasn't really an option for me. It felt like the right opportunity at exactly the right time.
At the heart of it all, I joined because I have a genuine desire to help people. That's what attracted me to the Royal Marines as a medic, and it's exactly what attracted me to the ambulance service. Every day your primary purpose is to provide care and make a difference to someone's life, and that's a privilege.
Growing up with my dad in the ambulance service definitely gave me a different perspective before I ever put on the uniform myself. It helped prepare me for the realities of the job because I already understood some of the operational pressures that exist behind the scenes.
Having a parent who works in the emergency operations centre also gives you an appreciation that there's always a bigger picture. As a frontline clinician it's easy to focus on the patient in front of you, but I've always understood the challenges involved in coordinating resources across the whole service. That wider perspective has been invaluable throughout my career.
It's also meant I've always had somebody who truly understands the job. If you've had a difficult shift or attended something that stays with you, having someone you can talk to who genuinely understands those pressures makes a huge difference.
Of course, there was another side to following in my dad's footsteps as well.
He's well known and well respected within the organisation, so when I joined there was definitely a sense of expectation. You know the reputation they've built over many years, and naturally you want to do your bit to uphold that.
The values my dad has built his career on are the same values I grew up around, so in many ways they became my own. Whether we're working together or not, I always feel a responsibility to represent both myself and my family well. It's about maintaining that professionalism and making sure you never let the side down.
Today I'm a clinical team leader at Blucher, supporting colleagues while continuing to develop my own career. One of the things I enjoy most is helping others grow in confidence and delivering the best care they can for patients.
Looking to the future, I think the ambulance service will continue to become more specialised. We're already seeing a move away from taking every patient to hospital and instead delivering more care within the community.
As healthcare becomes more complex, I think we'll see more specialist teams and clinicians with advanced skills providing increasingly tailored care. The level of treatment we're able to offer outside of hospital has changed dramatically in recent years, and I can only see that continuing over the next 20 years.
It's an exciting future to be part of. The role of a paramedic continues to evolve, and while the way we deliver care may change, the reason we come to work each day remains exactly the same: to help people when they need us most.
Sheila McLachlan
I am currently a clinical team leader, having joined the service on 1stOctober 1990
I did my work experience with the ambulance service and spent lots of time with squad E. When the advertisement came out for Squad F cadets I applied. I started as a cadet alongside 7 other people. (Jill Hutchinson, Judith Davison/Welsh and John Duffy are still here).
I have gained resilience throughout my time with the ambulance service. I have also gained acceptance, people will die, but as long as I know that I have done my best for them, then that is all that I can do. Every death that I go to for people my age or younger makes me feel really lucky to be alive and reminds me that nothing is promised and to live life to the full now.
One of my favourite memories at NEAS is from when I was fortunate enough to be sent sailing on the Tall Ships as a cadet, amazing experience.
After 35 years in the service I am still very proud to work for NEAS and I feel very privileged. The service has changed massively, it used to be all about 'scoop and run' pick patients up, get them on the ambulance and go to hospital, now it is all about 'right patient, right care'. It used to be a very physical job but now is much more mentally challenging. Technology such as tail lifts, ramps and terrafixes has been instrumental in improving the service.
I was lucky enough to work as mutual aid for the Olympics London 2012, I spent a week training in London, 3.5 weeks for the Olympics and 2.5 weeks for the para-Olympics, then went to the closing procession and stood outside Buckingham Palace.
My advice for anyone starting out at NEAS is simple. Treat patients and staff how you would like be treated, listen to your peers and remember we encounter patients in their time of need, a little bit of kindness goes along way.
I think in another 20 years we will be assessing patients from afar, video links etc. If necessary a practitioner will go and treat the patient and worse case an ambulance will then be called out to transport, the ambulances will all be electric and may even be driverless by then. I think patients will use the ambulance service like they use or used to use their GP.
Also, my daughter Amy (who is 20 also) joined NEAS in January 2026 as a comms officer in the EOC and I’m very proud of her.
Tracey Carr
I joined what was then Northumbria Ambulance Service on 7 August 1989 as part of a two-year YTS scheme, which today would be called an apprenticeship. At the time, I had no idea I'd still be here more than three decades later, but I've never looked back.
During those first two years I had the opportunity to experience lots of different areas of the organisation. I worked in administration, the ambulance liaison office and spent time in the training department before securing a full-time role as an office junior.
From there, I moved into the ambulance liaison office at South Shields General Hospital, working in the outpatients department, before progressing into patient transport planning and then dispatch, where I worked as both a call taker and radio operator. Later I moved into control administration, where we looked after the control room rosters.
It's incredible to look back at how much things have changed. Back then, shifts were only planned around a week in advance and everything was done on paper. We had what everyone knew as the "Control Room Book", which contained everyone's rotas. For some reason everyone insisted on having it on their desk when they came on shift, much to the manager's concern that somebody might get hold of the Tippex and quietly edit their own rota!
In 2005, everything changed again when the resource scheduling department (RSD) was created. Teams from across the organisation came together, around the same time as the merger with Tees Ambulance Service. They were already using a system called Promis, and bringing everyone together marked the beginning of the department we know today.
Over the last 20 years we've come such a long way. Rostering has changed beyond recognition. Years ago people had very little notice of their shifts, and it wasn't unusual for days to become nights at the last minute. I remember having to change my own partner's shifts and then cancelling a night out because suddenly we had no childcare.
Thankfully things are very different now. Colleagues receive their shifts five weeks in advance and those shifts don't change unless we ask them to. That stability makes a huge difference to people's lives and helps them balance work with everything else they have going on.
Technology has transformed the way we work too. Before BT Messenger, if we needed to fill overtime we literally phoned people one by one. I'd have to write notes so nobody else rang the same person I'd just spoken to. Now colleagues can volunteer for overtime through text messages and even choose to opt out if they don't want to receive them.
The downside is that, as technology has improved, we don't get to speak to people as often as we used to. We used to know so many people through those conversations, whereas now much of that happens digitally.
Looking ahead, I think technology will continue to shape the way we work. I can see more automation becoming part of resource scheduling, and perhaps even some form of self-rostering in the future.
Although I've worked behind the scenes throughout my career, I've always been incredibly proud to be part of the ambulance service. Every morning I still feel proud to put on my uniform.
When I see an ambulance driving past, I often think, "We helped put that vehicle there." Our team makes sure operational colleagues know what shift they're working, where they need to be and when they need to be there. Without resource scheduling, the service simply couldn't operate.
We might not always be the most visible part of the organisation, but I'm incredibly proud of the role we play in helping frontline colleagues deliver the best possible care to our patients every single day.
Richard Ilderton
I am a clinical team leader and joined the service in September 2004. Before this, I was a volunteer in Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade, an independent coastal search and rescue team working on behalf of the coast guard. One of the captains knew team leader Paddy Rogan from Tynemouth station, and he was invited down to do some basic life support work with the team. He offered us the opportunity to go out and observe on a crew for a shift, so I took him up on the offer and did a nightshift which prompted me to apply. I started as a direct entry advanced technician.
My father wasn't the most emotional man, but when he told me he was proud of me for passing my advanced technician course, that made me think I had chosen the right career. My first solo baby delivery certainly shaped me both personally and professionally though, as I did not faint, cry or run away, and also managed to deal with the challenges in it as there were complications. But I also learned when the crew arrived that I was lucky to be part of a supportive team.
As with any family, we can have our niggles, but I am proud to be part of a team who will come together when needed to support patients, families, or importantly each other when things go wrong.
The iPads and software have really changed the ability to look at a patient's history and not just rely on their memory, which like mine, can sometimes miss things. Access to the British Sign Language interpreters and language line have also really helped with patient care
I have gained definite problem-solving skills, and an ability to think on my feet and look confident to the public while doing it.
My most proud moment was taking my family to the ceremony to get my jubilee medal, with my daughter asking to swap hats with Sophie the then Countess of Wessex.
My advice to anyone thinking of joining NEAS is to listen and take the best aspects and skills from the people you are working with. Be part of a team, and look after each other, discuss any issues with each other too.
Nichola Stewart
I am currently a patient transport service dispatch supervisor at NEAS and have been part of the service since 1987. I came as a temp for the summer of 1986! My dad brought me in to help out to cover a long-term sickness – I went back to school to do business studies, shorthand and typing then started full time after my exam results.
I was a copy typist in the general office typing pool – my duties included typing up all the policies, procedures, minutes from meetings etc for all the senior officers.
Over the years, we have had many good calls with favourable outcomes but also a lot of heartbreaking unhappy events over the years in AAE dispatch.
We used to have a lot of fun over the years – I was duty officer before we merged with Durham ambulance service so during that time, I was responsible for the whole area out of hours. I remember one night, whilst cleaning the desks, I set off every pager (before mobile phones) for all the senior officers, on call doctors and nurses by accident! All the phones started ringing with them thinking it was a major incident - I told them it was a test.
My whole life has been centred around the ambulance service and I have a lot of passion and pride working for the service – my dad started working for Northumbria ambulance when he was 18 and retired at 45 due to ill health. Watching my dad progress through the service when I was younger gave me the inspiration and determination to follow in his footsteps. He was assistant chief ambulance officer when he retired. I took the decision when I had to my daughter in 2009 to just be a working mam rather than a career mam and hung up any aspirations to develop any higher and just enjoy a good work life balance.
I have survived countless restructures and merges – from starting in Northumbria ambulance service to the merge with Durham Ambulance Service then Teesside to create the now North East Ambulance Service. I think I am the longest serving member of the dispatch team!
I am a strong, resilient person due to all the powerful situations I have dealt with and been involved with over my 39 years.
I have also been 100% dedicated to supporting and developing colleagues to progress and be ambitious in their careers – many of the senior managers now were once one of my team – I am so proud of how colleagues who I interviewed for their initial role have gone on to higher management.
Be a team player - accept support and advice and be patient.
Nicola Aberdeen
I joined the service in July 2000 as a 999 call handler. I wanted to work in a job that helped people and to do something worthwhile and rewarding. I am currently in the role of patient experience officer.
When I first started, Northumbria Ambulance Service had just merged with Durham Ambulance Service, then shortly after followed Cleveland, NEAS now covers such a vast and diverse area.
I have had many moments in my career that I will never forget, including delivering my first baby over the telephone and hearing Mum and baby were both ok.
Presenting evidence at Coroners Court was a big event that was quite terrifying but also rewarding.
A memorable moment was trying to do CPR with a drunk Glaswegian - I could hardly understand him, and I don’t think he could understand me either!
One piece of innovation that I have witnessed is NHS Pathways; when I was a call handler everyone who rang for an ambulance got one!
During my time here, I have found courage in difficult situations and faced new challenges with an open mind.
I am most proud of working at NEAS for 26 years, first as a call handler, then a communications officer and dispatcher, to an investigating officer and then to a patient experience officer - five different roles, working with some amazing and compassionate people. It is a very worthwhile job helping the people of the north east and it can be a career for life!
In 20 years, I see NEAS with possibly more links and communications with the other emergency services.
David Cross
I am part of the Association of Ambulance Pioneers and formerly a paramedic. I began my career with Northumbria Ambulance Service in 1982. One of my neighbours was an assistant divisional officer and I had a new brother-in-law who worked at Seaton Delaval. I had only been married just under 3 years and my trade as a sheet metal worker had reduced available positions as shipbuilding was in decline and I had just completed a major construction contract on the Tyneside Metro, so I needed regular work for my new young family.
I was convinced of a potential “job for life” with Northumbria Ambulance Service and proceeded to acquire a first aid certificate to aid my application and I was successful in being offered a position as an “Ambulanceman” at what used to the Newcastle Central based on Blenheim Street. I began my career at Tynemouth station training unit on a six-week basic training course in February 1982 and passed with honours and was immediately taken to meet the then Chief Ambulance Officer, who was waiting in the adjacent station offices.
I graduated from the basic training and was stationed at Newcastle Central where I honed my people skills on the patient transport service and after each and every shift, I would go upstairs to the control centre to meet the staff and learn the communications room skills that would serve me well later in my career. During my time serving in the communications centre, I was a duty officer. I recall having to provide pre-arrival instructions to a distressed mother over the phone whilst she awaited a crew's arrival. This shaped me professionally for definite!
I have many happy memories, and moments of my career that I will not forget. I was one of the first aircrew on a helicopter back in 1991, I went on to manage the communications centre between 1992 and 1995, and I was one of the first UK paramedics to be accepted on an exchange visit to New Zealand in 1997. I went onto study my bachelor's degree and master's degree with NEAS and took on the role as a station officer at Tynemouth. I left the service in 2004 and went onto spending 11 years with Durham Police as a forensic custody care practitioner.
Advancing quickly through the years, what I believe was the strongest and most affluent improvement to me personally was the ability to transfer my skills from ambulance environment to other health providers, such as the hospitals and primary care trusts. I had been trained to think on my feet as a stand-alone clinician and rescue medic, my academic qualifications and front line command and control experience combined with cutting edge aeromedical and advanced paramedic training had taught me to cope with not only being dropped into any volatile situation domestically but also international in New Zealand and across central and Eastern Europe, but also to be placed in a locum position to cover for a GP in a surgery back in 2005 and to provide a gold standard level of forensic custody medical care and become part of a crime scene investigation team.
Bob Bell
I work as a PTS Team Manager and have completed 31 years of service, starting in April 1995. I wanted to join a service to be proud of making a difference to people’s lives day in day out.
I started out as PTS operational staff on a part-time basis.
One moment that I will never forget is being awarded national ambulance care assistance of the year in 2000 at Ambex Awards. I have also been awarded long service awards and Team manager of the year going above and beyond.
I have received letters of experience from the CEO for supporting staff and too many others to list.
One memory that really makes me laugh all these years later is from when I first started. A colleague went to the hospital to collect his patients and no-one came out so he returned to base (you’re supposed to go into the hospital to collect the patients.)
To me, being part of the North East Ambulance Service means pride, innovation, teamwork, sharing skills, leading by example, making a difference, getting up each day and enjoying my role.
Of course, the service has changed in many ways with technology, equipment, shifts, remote working and better vehicles and higher standards. Personally, I believe that the biggest innovation has been mobile technology and the internet, as well as Ibex chairs and bariatric equipment.
I still enjoy getting up and going to work, I enjoy supporting my staff and patients. Being proud that the trust believes in me, working with a great team.
If I had to give any advice to someone starting the service today, it would be to enjoy life at NEAS and be proud to support others - being part of a team on a daily basis gives a sense of self-satisfaction.
In another 20 years, I think NEAS will be even more innovative with technology, using improved vehicles and equipment, being diverse with more working times and still supporting our service users to the best of our abilities.
Mike Roberts
I am a paramedic and joined NEAS again in 2023, after an initial stint between 2015 and 2017 as an emergency care assistant, wanting a change of career from working in holiday parks.
My proudest moment so far is Being Co-chair of PROUD@NEAS knowing I am making a difference to staff and ensure they bring their authentic selves to work. I was also really proud when I graduated university as a paramedic after leaving school with no GCSE’s.
Something that shaped me professionally was not being able to help a patient who had sepsis - this made me want to become a paramedic
The best thing about the job is being able to work with some of the most selfless people in the world, knowing we have each other's back, sharing experiences with each other, learning and growing together.
In terms of change, calls have increased, there are more pathways to keep people at home where possible, new skills and ways of working for the patient have improved dramatically. The introduction of being able to use a personal issue iPad to keep up to date with latest skills, medicines and protocols.
The main skills that I have gained during my time at NEAS are teamwork, empathy and dealing with stress
My advice to anyone wanting to work in the profession would be to be yourself, enjoy your job, don’t let things get too much for you and talk to people when you need to.
In another 20 years, I think AI will play a big part at NEAS and skills developed with vehicles having the latest technology onboard to help manage complex issues.
Tracey Worrall
Stephen Jelfs
I started here as a divisional officer in support services in 1984, having been part of Devon Ambulance Service since 1973. I became Deputy Chief Ambulance Officer at Northumbia Ambulance Service in 1985 to 1987. I moved in 1987 to become chief ambulance officer for Tayside.
Some proud moments include being elected president of the Ambulance Service Institute in 1990 and to the board of the Association of Chief Ambulance Officers in 1991 (the forerunner of the Ambulance Service Association. I have been the editor of Ambulance UK and the Scottish Ambulance Service in house magazine ‘Response’.
Since I was a youngster, I was always interested in first aid and all things medical and was a member of St John Ambulance which initially facilitated my move into the statutory ambulance service. When I joined the only requirement was a clean driving licence and a first aid certificate.
There are many moments I’ll never forget in my career really! I suppose attaining my ambition in 1987 by becoming chief ambulance officer. Two calls that have shaped me both personally and professionally are the Morpeth train crash in 1984 and the Lockerbie disaster in 1988.
During my time here, we introduced many ‘firsts’ in developing the service that led the way for the modern ambulance service. I think the ambulance service has changed in a lot of ways. For example, my training consisted of six weeks day release at an ambulance training school then a month in hospital carrying out techniques in theatres, A&E etc whereas now it is a degree course.
The development in paramedic training enabled significant clinical help to patients. It made a big difference to my work. From my time in the ambulance service, I developed leadership skills and communication skills that helped me both in my roles and when I became chief officer.
I am proud of so many moments of my time in the service, such as: tiering the service into emergency and non-emergency in Northumbria and Tayside, centralising control rooms in Tayside, and introducing paramedic training into Northumbria and Tayside. I also helped to introduce the Northumbria Cadet scheme, commissioned Interlink House as a centralised control and headquarters and carried out the same in Scotland. We developed a computerised non -emergency planning system. There was also the management of the Uniform Group in Scotland and introducing the green suit for operational staff, the first service in the UK to do so. Then there was the introduction of the first helicopter scheme in Scotland in 1988, the first service in Scotland to place defibrillators on front line ambulances and being elected by my peers as President of the Ambulance Service Institute.
I definitely think if anyone was to join the service today, their focus should be on communication and listening to the patient. In 20 years from now, I would like to think that in the service there will be more amalgamation of services.
Daniel Crawford
I joined North East Ambulance Service in 2017 because I wanted a role where I could make a difference.
While I don't work on the frontline, I quickly realised that every role in the organisation contributes to the care our patients receive. As a project manager, my job is to help deliver improvements that enable our staff to provide the best possible service, and that's something I'm incredibly proud to be part of.
One of the biggest projects I've worked on has been delivering new telephone systems for our emergency operations centres. It was a complex piece of work that had to be carefully planned and delivered while ensuring every single 999 call continued to be answered throughout the transition.
Seeing that project successfully come together was one of my proudest moments. It demonstrated what can be achieved when people from across the organisation work together towards a common goal, always keeping patients at the centre of what we do.
For me, that's one of the things that makes NEAS special. No matter what your role is, everyone is working towards the same purpose. Whether you're responding to patients, answering calls, scheduling resources or delivering projects behind the scenes, every person plays a part.
Alongside my role as a project manager, I'm also proud to serve as chair of the Proud staff network.
That role has given me the opportunity to help create a more inclusive organisation where everyone feels able to be themselves at work. Inclusion isn't something that's achieved by one person or one team—it's something we all contribute to every day through the way we support each other and the culture we create.
One of the things I value most about working at NEAS is that people are encouraged to share their ideas. Improvement can come from anywhere, and some of the best ideas come from colleagues who see opportunities to make things better in their day-to-day work.
We all work to support each other, and your ideas really can help shape how we deliver services in the future.
Looking ahead, I think collaboration and innovation will continue to play an increasingly important role. As technology develops and the way we deliver healthcare evolves, we'll continue finding new ways to improve the services we provide for both patients and colleagues.
I'm proud to play a small part in that journey, and proud to work for an organisation where every role, every idea and every person has the opportunity to make a difference.
Dean Common
I am a paramedic and I joined the ambulance service in 1990 after seeing an advert in the evening chronicle. I was unhappy working in a factory at the time and decided to apply for a change. After joining the then Northumbria Ambulance service, I soon realised that the caring profession was my vocation in life.
My first role was working on the patient transport (PTS) service which was 30 hours a week. I would pick up patients in the morning for their day unit appointment at Morpeth cottage hospital (now a housing estate) and St George Morpeth. After a few hours off I would return to work to pick those patients up and return them home. Those early days provided me with so much experience.
My standout moment was sitting next to a young lady on my induction course for patient transport service who would become not only my work partner for a while but also my wife of 32 years.
Over the course of my career, I have attended many incidents of note, some quite traumatic, some less so. My defining moment is more personal. Many years ago, shortly after starting work with the ambulance service, I was badly assaulted. The care I received from my colleagues, doctors, nurses, and surgeons who helped me that night and in the following long months of recovery made me realise how important and memorable the help you get in your hour of need is. Regardless of who my patient is or what their concern is, they all get the same level of care and compassion I would want to get.
A moment that the still makes me laugh is when many years ago myself and my colleague forgot to pick up our stretcher from the hospital and our next call was to a family member of a senior manager for the ambulance service. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I opened the back door of the ambulance and noticed the stretcher was missing. Thankfully, the patient had a minor injury, and they were able to sit on the chair on the way to hospital where we were reunited with our stretcher.
My journey with NEAS is ending soon as I have taken the opportunity the MARS scheme offered. My career has lasted over 35 years and I have always worn my uniform with pride. NEAS has offered security, several opportunities to further enhance my career, companionship with colleagues and allowed me to be myself due to the nature of the role of paramedic.
Over the years there have been many changes. When I first joined, we used to wash out the bag and mask and suction units after using them, once clean they were placed back on the ambulance. Obviously now they are single use. There is more diversity in the workforce. When I first joined the service was predominantly male. There is less paperwork now as everything moves towards being electronic. There has been a reduction in the amount of physical lifting of patients due to the introduction of battery-operated stretches, ramps, and lifting aids, also with support from other colleagues with specialist equipment. Today's ambulance work is shifting from emergency care to primary care and there is more emphasis on staff welfare.
Some improvements worth mentioning are the ramps and self-loading stretchers which reduce manual lifting of stretchers.
Electronic Innovation such as EPCR , JRCALC access.
I am proud of the progression I have made from starting as part-time PTS through to paramedic mentor and very proud that I have helped students and other staff along the way, passing on my experience and helping the new generation of paramedics and ASPs. I am also proud when I receive a letter of appreciation as this means I have made a good impression.
My advice to new staff starting off on their career journeys would be to wear the uniform with pride, appreciate the opportunity that they have been given to make a difference and use the experience around them and be true to yourself and try and dismiss any negativity.
The future I envisage for the ambulance service is that it becomes more privatised with other ambulance providers mainly carrying out primary care work with competition for emergency work. There will be more emphasis on staff welfare and promoting mental health awareness.