Paramedic Simon retires after 31 years in ambulance service (From Southend Standard)

Paramedic Simon retires after 31 years in ambulance service

11:00am Saturday 19th January 2013 in Echo News

A PARAMEDIC has put away his stethoscope for the final time after dealing with emergencies and treating patients in their time of need for 31 years.

Simon Eatherton, general manager covering emergency operations in Essex, retired from the ambulance service this week after starting his career back in April 1981.

He first joined the patient transport services team at Canvey ambulance station and then progressed on to emergency duties as a qualified ambulanceman before becoming a paramedic.

Mr Eatherton, who lives in Thundersley, was then promoted to leading ambulanceman at Rayleigh and later became station officer at Southend in 1992.

He the moved further up the ranks and became divisional commander for north Essex and was based in Colchester.

Mr Eatherton also headed up the control room in Chelmsford before returning to the director of operations role.

He has held several other senior roles throughout his long career and was most recently involved in a project for transformation of the service.

During more than three decades on the job, Mr Eatherton attended several high profile incidents including train crashes, aircraft incidents and was one of the ambulance officers who dealt with the Southend Pier blaze back in 2005.

The dad-of-two said: “I will miss all my work colleagues and the patients I have met over the years.

“I will pop in to see my colleagues from time to time, but I can now spend some quality time with my wife Gillian and I am sure she has some work already lined up for me.”

Andrew Morgan, interim chief executive of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, went to see Mr Eatherton and presented him with a gift on his final day.

He said: “It was an absolute pleasure to meet up with Simon and wish him well on his retirement.

“He has served 31 years exemplary service and I am sure his colleagues and the patients he has cared for during his mammoth career will sorely miss him.

“Our trust wishes Simon and his wife Gillian all the very best for the future.”