A former paramedic who spent part of his career working out of Wembley has celebrated an incredible 50 years with the London Ambulance Service.
Noel Thomas, 67, joined the service as a 17-year-old cadet in 1976 and has since cared for generations of Londoners.
During his career, he worked out of Park Royal, Willesden, Wembley and Brent, before later becoming a workshop technician preparing ambulances for crews.
Noel was presented with a long service certificate by London Ambulance Service Chief Executive Jason Killens during a ceremony at the organisation’s Waterloo headquarters.
From cadet to paramedic
Noel joined London Ambulance as a cadet, a role which existed before the current apprenticeship system.
He completed an intubation and infusion course at Central Middlesex Hospital before training as a paramedic at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.
Looking back on how the service has developed over five decades, Noel said: “The ambulance service has changed so much since I joined all those years ago.
“Our 999 call handlers receive so many more calls now compared to when I first started in 1976.
“And when we received jobs, we answered the phones at our stations and were given a map reference with the location of the patient. Ambulances did not have sat nav – we had to rely on reading maps.
“Ambulance crews also very much focused on ‘scoop and run’ where your job was to get patients to hospital as quickly as possible. Now much more advanced care is provided on scene.
“When I joined as a teenager, it also felt like a military organisation. As cadets, we had uniform inspections and had to clean our spaces like soldiers do in the army.”
‘Touched the lives of Londoners for 50 years’
Jason Killens KAM, Chief Executive at London Ambulance Service, said: “Noel has touched the lives of Londoners for 50 years. He has seen how the Service has adapted to meet the needs of Londoners over the last five decades.
“We are incredibly proud of Noel for reaching this incredible milestone. And he should be very proud of this achievement too.”
Some of Noel’s proudest memories from his time as a paramedic involve delivering babies.
He said: “I loved delivering babies. That was always such a special moment and I can remember most of them to this day.
“You’re helping to bring life into the world. It was the best part of my job.”
For more than 30 years, Noel worked alongside crewmate Christine Money, who has since retired.
Christine said: “Noel is a special kind of person. He manages to put everyone at ease which has been a great asset. He has a lot of patience, is very modest and has a great sense of humour.
“Over the years we have laughed a lot and cried many a time as we grew old together.”
Noel added: “I have been blessed that I have done something I’ve loved so much.
“Being a paramedic does have its challenges, but with a crewmate like Christine you felt like you can achieve anything.”
Returning to the ambulance service
Noel became a paramedic in the 1990s as modern paramedicine skills began to develop across London Ambulance Service.
He retired in 2016 but returned three years later to work with the Make Ready team.
The team works around the clock to restock, refuel and clean ambulances before delivering them to stations ready for crews to begin their shifts.
Noel said: “It was by coincidence that I came back as I had met someone who worked at the Service and suggested that I return.
“It felt like I was coming home and it’s been great seeing old friends again.”
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