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Devon paramedic awarded Queen's medal

Image: South Western Ambulance Service. Rob pictured far right.

Robert Horton is "overwhelmed and honoured" with his prestigious accolade

A Paramedic from South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Ambulance Medal (QAM). The award goes to Robert Horton, Responder Manager and Paramedic from Devon who joined the Trust in 2001.

In 2009, Mr Horton 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 peoplewho are trained every year by Rob and his team to respond ahead of an ambulance in our communities and businesses.

Rob also 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.

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.

Speaking about his award, he said: “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.”

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