East Midlands Ambulance paramedic awarded on Queen’s Honours list

East Midlands Ambulance paramedic awarded on Queen’s Honours list

East Midlands paramedic Cherylene Camps has been awarded the Queen’s Ambulance Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

The medal is reserved for ambulance personnel who have shown exceptional devotion to duty, outstanding ability, merit, and conduct in their role.

The nomination came as a complete surprise for Cherylene who at first thought it wasn’t real.

She said: “When I first saw the email in my inbox, I didn’t quite believe it. During my time at EMAS, I have pulled a few pranks on people so thought this was someone getting me back and waiting for me to fall for it.

“I spent a good hour researching to see if the email was real and, in the end, when I got in touch with the sender and they confirmed the legitimacy of it, I was in shock.

“It’s been three months since the email landed in my inbox and I haven’t been able to tell anyone, so I am pleased I can finally share the news, although I still can’t quite believe it.”

Cherylene joined Nottinghamshire Ambulance Service in 1997, originally working in Patient Transport Service before progressing through other frontline roles and into management for the Nottinghamshire division of EMAS.

She then became one of the first paramedics to do a master’s degree in Advanced Clinical Practice and also achieved her dream of working for the air ambulance as a Critical Care paramedic, which she continues to this day.

With a wealth of experience, Cherylene stepped into the role of Clinical Development Lead at EMAS where she led on and helped set up the Cardiac Arrest Leads network forming part of the wider Cardiac Arrest Strategy within the service.

Now, she is using her knowledge to help the paramedics of the future by designing the next masters on Advanced Clinical Practice.

Cherylene also helps make wishes come true with children’s charity ‘When You Wish Upon A Star’ by providing medical support to children with life changing and terminal illnesses on magical visits to see Santa and his reindeers in Lapland.

When asked about how she continues to go from strength to strength including the Queens Ambulance Medal nomination, Cherylene said:

“It is an honour to be nominated. I have never lost the love for my job. It is a very privileged position to be in and I have always loved helping people and want to continue to do so.

“I am so grateful for the people throughout my life who have given me the opportunities to further myself and believed in me when it came to the work and projects I have done”.

Kerry Gulliver, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development at EMAS said:

“Congratulations Cherylene. What an absolute honour in recognition of your contribution and dedication to the staff and patients in the ambulance service. This is so well deserved”.

(Image: East Midlands Ambulance Service)