Jamie Arrowsmith – Wednesday 21st January 2026 – 10.45am
A Hospital Ambulance Liaison Officer (HALO) for West Midlands Ambulance Service has won an award from the hospital he works within.
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust named Mark Hayes as their latest Making a Difference Award winner linked to the hospital’s value of partnership, for his exceptional contribution to patient care. He was presented with his award by UHCW’s Deputy Chief Executive, Susan Rollason.
As a HALO, Mark plays a vital role in supporting timely and safe ambulance handovers, helping to free ambulance crews to respond to emergencies in the community whilst maintaining strong relationships between the two organisations.
The nomination praised Mark’s consistent demonstration of partnership working and described him as calm, approachable and solution-focussed, even during times of high pressure. It also praised his clear and effective communication for helping to de-escalate challenging situations, encouraging teamwork and ensuring that patients, ambulance crews and emergency department colleagues all felt heard and supported.
Reflecting on receiving the award, Mark said: “I am extremely grateful to receive this award, but it comes as a bit of a shock. 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.
“Ultimately, 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 is why it is so important we all continue working together to try and ensure patients receive timely, safe and compassionate care, both in hospital and in the community.”
Group Director of Operations for Emergency Medicine at UHCW, Dan Peach, said: “Our team of HALOs provides a point of contact for the Emergency Department and without their dedication and commitment both patient and staff experience would suffer.
“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 celebrating individuals who go above and beyond to enhance patient experience, support colleagues and strengthen collaboration across services.
ENDS