We can’t quite believe it, but we just won a BAFTA!

It was one of those moments in life where you think you might have a chance, but you can’t really believe that you will…and then it happened; we won a BAFTA!

Monday 14^th May 2018 – 9.34am – Murray MacGregor.

It was one of those moments in life where you think you might have a chance, but you can’t really believe that you will…and then it happened; we won a BAFTA!

We are so humbled that Ambulance, won Best Factual Series at the star studded ceremony in London last night.

The programme, which was made by Dragonfly TV, and goes behind the scenes of West Midlands Ambulance Service and looks at the staff and patients who we help twenty-four hours a day.

Paramedic Katie Cartwright, who featured in the very first story of the first episode when she helped to save the life of a cardiac arrest patient was at the event along with Rich Phillips who is a controller in the Emergency Operations Centre at Brierley Hill and Claire Brown from the Trust’s Press Office which co-ordinates the filming from a Trust perspective.

It’s safe to say that when we were announced as winners, Katie, Rich and everyone else involved were just a little in shock, but they had recovered enough by the time they got to the stage to pick up their coveted award on stage.

Kirsty Cunningham, Executive Producer, Dragonfly Television, said: “We couldn’t have made it without patients and their families, who we satellited into their lives at unknown times, allowing us to tell their stories.  But really, this series goes to the heroes in green. It was our privilege to be able to capture the way they work with such compassion and care. It’s our love song to the NHS this series.”

Rich Phillips added: “I’d like to say a very big thank you to the whole service and Dragonfly. It’s fantastic getting a BAFTA. Wow, we just work in a control room and on ambulances, so thanks very much.”

Katie Cartwright, said: “On behalf of West Midlands Ambulance Service, we’d like to thank Dragonfly for portraying the ambulance service for what it really is.  We’ve had an amazing time and can’t believe that we’ve won; we’re so excited.”

Anthony Marsh, Trust Chief Executive, said: “This is a fantastic achievement not just for those who have featured in the programmes but for all of our staff.  What this programme shows is just how much effort our staff put into the job, wherever they work in the organisation.

Press Officer, Claire Brown said: “The programmes show just how amazing our staff are.  Although the programmes can’t show everyone that works for us, whether on an ambulance, in a control room or in the many roles behind the scenes, it has given the public a real insight into what the ambulance service is really like.  Thank you also to the hundreds of staff who have helped make the programmes possible.”

Ends