Success for EEAST staff at Control Room Awards

Staff at the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) picked up two awards at the prestigious Control Room Awards 2023 earlier this month.

For a second time in the last three years, Ben Hawkins, a dispatch team leader, won a Control Room award when picking up the Community Champion Award, while Francesca Kusel-Baum, a regional clinical co-ordinator at EEAST, received the Young Achiever Award, an award that Ben won in 2021.

The judges were particularly impressed with Francesca’s focus on patient care, organisational culture and her team’s personal development.

They said: “While unusually young to be a Regional Clinical Coordinator, Francesca is clearly a natural leader who can balance the technical aspects of the role with the needs of people, while driving innovation and change within her organisation.

Of Ben’s award, the judges said: “This is Ben’s second Control Room Awards win, having been named Young Achiever of the Year in 2021, which shows what an outstanding individual he is.

“Ben’s commitment as a community first responder and volunteer with Norfolk Accident Rescue Service are extraordinary. He is devoted to saving lives. He is also tireless in his efforts to support his colleagues, particularly as an advocate for positive mental health.”

More than 180 nominations were received from organisations across the UK and Ireland, including police forces, ambulance services, fire services and HM Coastguard.

Twelve awards were up for grabs at the ceremony which was held this year at the Leonardo Hotel and Conference Venue, Hinckley Island, Leicestershire.

Ben Hawkins said:

“Winning these awards not just once but twice is incredible and a genuine honour.

“It’s a great awards ceremony which makes you feel so appreciated for the work we do. I thoroughly enjoy what I do, but it doesn’t really feel like anything amazing as it’s just the normal for us really, so it’s quite strange winning in some sense.

“A big thanks to the NARS charity and EEAST frontline staff for putting up with me volunteering with them over the past 6 years as they make the role what it is. I look forward to the many more years to come!

Francesca Kusel-Baum said:

“I am so honoured to have been nominated for such an award and to win is so unexpected. It is humbling to know that success is recognised, in what we consider the ordinary within the Emergency Operation Centre.

“I pride myself on my passion for patient safety and am a huge advocate for cultural change and will continue to pursue these wherever my career within EEAST takes me.

“This award itself demonstrates that younger people within EEAST have the ability to achieve something amazing and I am so pleased to have won.”