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A Hospital Ambulance Liaison Officer (HALO) from West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) has been recognised by University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust for his contribution to patient care and partnership working.
Mark Hayes was named the latest recipient of UHCW’s Making a Difference Award, linked to the trust’s value of partnership, and was presented with the award by Deputy Chief Executive Officer Susan Rollason.
Supporting patient flow and frontline crews
Based at UHCW, Hayes plays a key role in supporting timely and safe ambulance handovers, helping to free ambulance crews to return to the community and respond to further emergencies. The role is also central to maintaining close working relationships between the ambulance service and hospital teams.
His nomination highlighted his consistent demonstration of partnership working, describing him as calm, approachable and solution-focused, even during periods of significant operational pressure. It also praised his clear and effective communication, which was said to help de-escalate challenging situations, encourage teamwork and ensure that patients, ambulance crews and emergency department staff felt supported and listened to.
‘A whole team effort’
Reflecting on receiving the award, Hayes said the recognition belonged to the wider system rather than any individual.
“I am extremely grateful to receive this award, but it comes as a bit of a shock,” he said. “Ultimately, it’s a whole team effort and I couldn’t do what I do without the support of everyone at the hospital, the hard work of the ambulance crews and the other HALOs across the ambulance service.
“Whatever our role and whichever organisation we work for, we all have the same goal, which is to provide patients with the best level of care we possibly can. That’s why it’s so important we continue working together to ensure patients receive timely, safe and compassionate care, both in hospital and in the community.”
Strengthening partnership working
Dan Peach, Group Director of Operations for Emergency Medicine at UHCW, said HALOs played a vital role in both patient flow and staff experience within the emergency department.
“Our team of HALOs provides a crucial point of contact for the Emergency Department, and without their dedication and commitment both patient and staff experience would suffer,” he said.
“This award for Mark is fully deserved, and we look forward to continuing to deliver a quality service side by side with colleagues from WMAS.”
The Making a Difference Awards are a monthly recognition programme at UHCW, celebrating individuals who go above and beyond to improve patient experience, support colleagues and strengthen collaboration across health and care services.
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