A COMMUNITY paramedic has received a top honour from the ambulance service.

Peter Shaw, 38, has been presented with the chief executive's award by the Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (Tenyas).

The award is presented annually to a member of staff who has shown a high level of innovation, dedication and creativity.

It was presented by Tenyas chief executive Jayne Barnes during a ceremony at York Racecourse.

Mr Shaw, who lives near Bedale, North Yorkshire and is based at the Leyburn Medical Practice, is a former RAF carpenter and a member of the RAF Mountain Rescue Service.

He joined the ambulance service in 1995, qualifying as a paramedic in 1999 while based at Ripon.

He was nominated for the award by Dr Julia Brown at the Leyburn practice, for his work commitment, as well as for training volunteers for the First Responder Schemes.

He said: "I really enjoy working out in the community, and being based at the doctors' surgery gives me another insight into patient-care from the doctors' and district nurses' perspective. I have trained all the medical staff here in basic life support and defibrillation, and in turn, I have learned a great deal from them.

"As a team, we have helped to free-up quite a lot of ambulances by enabling patients to remain at home by providing them with various aids and rehabilitation.