OP, Dr Julian Mark (83-88), Executive Medical Director at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust and Medical Advisor to NHS England, received the Queen’s Ambulance Medal for Distinguished Service (QAM) from HRH Prince William (now William, Prince of Wales), in an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 7th July. Accompanying Julian was his partner Caroline Balfour.

Julian’s award recognises his contribution to the Ambulance Service as Chair of the National Ambulance Services Medical Directors group (NASMeD) during the Covid-19 pandemic but also throughout his career.  In a press release for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Rod Barnes, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said:  

“This is a huge honour which recognises Julian’s tremendous contribution to the ambulance sector’s response to the pandemic. It also makes Julian one of a very small number of ambulance service staff who have been recognised for exceptional dedication to duty, outstanding ability, merit and conduct in their roles. 

“Julian is a consummate professional and his dedication to improving patient care has been outstanding. He is held in the highest esteem by his colleagues both within and outside the ambulance sector. His work…has undoubtedly improved the standards of care delivered to patients by the ambulance sector nationally and has been pivotal in helping ambulance services navigate the enormous clinical challenges of the pandemic. 

“On behalf of Yorkshire Ambulance Service and all ambulance services across the UK, I would like to thank Julian for all he has done for the benefit of patients over many years. He thoroughly deserves this honour and should be rightly proud of this fantastic achievement.” 

On receiving the award, Dr Julian Mark said:  “I am proud to play my part in the development of the ambulance sector response to the public in their time of greatest need. The past two years have been particularly challenging, and I would like to pay tribute to all ambulance service staff for their continued dedication to patient care in these difficult times. I am humbled for being recognised for my contribution, which would have been impossible without the unwavering support from my colleagues.” 

Julian qualified in Medicine from Leeds University in 1994 (BSc Hons, MB ChB) and has been a senior leader at the region’s ambulance service for 14 years. He has been the Trust’s Executive Medical Director since October 2013. He gained the Diploma in Immediate Medical Care (DIMC) from the Faculty of PreHospital Care of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh in 2010, a Post Graduate Certificate in Medical Law from Northumbria University in 2012, and became a founding Senior Fellow of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management (SFFMLM) in 2017.