King's Ambulance Service Medal for distinguished service: UK eligibility criteria and allocations
Updated 7 August 2024
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Introduction
The King’s Ambulance Service Medal (KAM) for distinguished service was instituted (as the Queen’s Ambulance Service Medal for distinguished service (QAM)) by Royal Warrant in 2011, first used in 2012 and became the King’s Ambulance Service Medal for distinguished service by Royal Warrant in December 2022.
Regulations made under the Royal Warrant in 2011 were amended to reflect the change from QAM to KAM in December 2022 and are at ‘Annex A: the King’s Ambulance Service Medal regulations’ below.
The medal was introduced to award ambulance staff for distinguished service to the public or profession in their operational roles, placing them on a par with other uniformed staff in the police and the fire and rescue service who can be awarded the King’s Police Medal and the King’s Fire Service Medal.
This document sets out the eligibility criteria for the KAM.
There are separate processes for seeking and assessing nominations for the KAM in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Crown Dependencies of the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
The KAM is distinct from the Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, which may be awarded to any eligible staff who have completed the requisite years of service.
Eligibility
The KAM was introduced, by Royal Warrant, to recognise those who have rendered distinguished service and devotion to duty as members of the NHS ambulance service (or state equivalent) of the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Under the Royal Warrant, eligibility to be considered for the KAM extends to members in all ranks of those services.
Community first responders are not eligible – this is in alignment with other community service support, which provide assistance to the other 2 emergency services.
Those working for private or independent and voluntary ambulance services are not eligible.
The regulations set out that up to 10 recommendations for award of the KAM may be submitted for His Majesty’s approval in any one year. The allocation per year across the eligible ambulance services is:
- up to 4 medals for England
- up to 2 medals for Wales
- up to 2 medals for Scotland
- up to one medal for Northern Ireland
- up to one medal for the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
The KAM is awarded for distinguished service. The regulations made under the Royal Warrant (see Annex A):
- set out that exemplary personal performance will be particularly important when considering recommendations for the award
- provide examples of exemplary personal performance (not an exhaustive list)
On length of service, the regulations set out that:
- members of the ambulance service should usually have completed 10 years of good conduct and exemplary service before being recommended for award of the KAM
- only in exceptional circumstances shall recommendations be considered for those with less than 10 years’ service
Retired staff are eligible only where they were in service at the time of nomination.
Other information
Post nominal letters
An individual who is awarded the KAM will be entitled, on all occasions when the use of such letters is customary, to have the letters ‘KAM’ placed after their name.
The Queen’s Ambulance Medal for distinguished service remains in the order of wear and recipients of that award should continue to use the post nominal letters ‘QAM’.
Other awards for distinguished service
The grant of any unofficial or local medal for distinguished service for wear by staff in the ambulance service has been discontinued. Any unofficial or local medal for distinguished service, if already granted, shall not be worn by recipients of the KAM or QAM.
Record of KAM recipients
The names of all those to whom the KAM is awarded (and to whom the QAM was awarded) are recorded centrally in the Department of Health and Social Care (or equivalent representative state department) and published in the London Gazette and on GOV.UK alongside the New Year and Birthday Honours lists.
Investitures
As with honours, the medals are presented by a member of the Royal Family at an investiture ceremony.
Annex A: the King’s Ambulance Service Medal regulations
The number of recommendations for award of the medal that may be submitted for His Majesty’s approval in any one year (New Year and Birthday Honours List) shall not exceed 10.
Recommendations for award of the medal are to be submitted on the appropriate nomination form in accordance with individual service instructions.
It will be usual that members of the ambulance service shall have completed 10 years’ good conduct and exemplary service before being recommended for award of the medal. Only in exceptional circumstance shall recommendations be considered for those with less than 10 years’ service.
Exemplary personal performance in the following aspects of the ambulance service will be particularly important when considering recommendations for award of the medal:
- very high levels of sustained performance while temporarily filling posts that would normally attract a higher rank or grade
- prolonged service, but only when accompanied by exceptional achievement and merit
- completion of a significant piece of work or project that results in substantial improvements for patients and/or staff
- taking on additional roles or responsibilities (in addition to their core role) that results in significant improvements for patients or staff
- taking a leading role in developing IT systems to improve performance and efficiency of the ambulance service
- taking a significant and prolonged leading role in training and development to promote staff knowledge and skills
- success in organising ambulance services under special difficulties – for example, managing major, serious or dangerous operational incidents that make exceptional demands on personnel
- special services to royalty or heads of state
These regulations were updated on 28 December 2022 to reflect the change of title to KAM. In all other respects, these are the same regulations as made in 2011 when the QAM was introduced.