8th February 2017
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NIAS is delighted to report that, last night, at the Ambulance Leaders Forum Awards Dinner, our very own Eddie Murphy received the national ambulance “PTS Staff Member” award.
This award is presented to a member of the Patient Care/Transport Service who throughout their career has demonstrated the highest levels of commitment to their patients and colleagues. Eddie ticks every one of those boxes.
Having worked for NIAS and EHSSB ambulance service for more than thirty three years, Eddie has been at the forefront of developments in the delivery of non-emergency ambulance services. For most of that time he has worked in Broadway Ambulance Station as PCS Supervisor.
Particularly close to his heart are young children who are in need of our care. They and their parents can ask for no better person than Eddie Murphy to make their journey in the ambulance nothing other than one full of care, compassion and, when possible, a bit of fun. Following in the footsteps of his own mentor, John Gribbon, Eddie has built a team around him to make sure that this care and compassion is always present.
Being exposed to the suffering of children so young, Eddie has always been moved to help them in whatever way he can. He has been a tireless fund raiser for the Royal Belfast Hospital for sick Children and cajoled many a colleague to pull an ambulance, buy a ticket for a Charity ball or even build a daisy chain – all to help raise vital funds to improve the care for the most seriously ill children in our land.
Last night would have been an immensely proud evening for Eddie and I can imagine as he received his award he would have been thinking of the help and friendship of Izzy, Eugene, Jim and a host of others but, particularly, his old friend Gerry who he has missed sorely over recent years. It would have been an emotional night for him but one on which he should have been rightly proud as, even though he is PCS to the core, Eddie Murphy has impacted upon so many of our front line staff who passed through his hands at the start of their careers.
Eddie Murphy is the consummate professional whose example demonstrates to colleagues the privilege they have to be able to enter, on a daily basis, the lives of the least fortunate with respect and dignity. He is not just an ordinary Eddie – he is Eddie Murphy.
Congratulations Eddie – very well deserved.