New Queen’s Medal to be awarded to NHS ambulance workers

A new official honour is to be introduced next year to recognise exceptional work done by ambulance staff within the NHS.

Announced this week by health secretary Andrew Lansley, the Queen's Ambulance Service Medal will be presented for the first time in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in summer 2012.

It will be awarded to ambulance workers who are deemed to perform well in serious or exceptional circumstances or who have served for long periods, as well as those who play leading roles in service improvements and staff training.

This means that the ambulance service now joins the police and fire brigade in having a specific Queen's Medal to honour outstanding conduct.

Mr Lansley said: "It will pay tribute to those who work incredibly hard to save lives, often under extreme pressure and in very challenging situations."

This comes in the same month that the NHS marks its 63rd anniversary, with the government using the opportunity to highlight the importance of clinical staff assuming leadership roles to support future reform programmes.