Wales | 30 Jan 2012
A change in industrial fortunes manufactured a new horizon for a young engineering apprentice, nearly four decades in the ambulance service laying the foundations for what exists in North Wales today.
And now after 39 years of service, Tregarth paramedic Dafydd Jones-Morris is calling time this January on a career spanning all elements which support the service.
Dafydd, the son of a policeman and educated at Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen, joined Caernarfonshire Ambulance Service in a temporary role in 1972 at Bangor, following a depression in the manufacturing industry in the region.
“I completed an apprenticeship in heavy engineering but due to the demise in demand I was looking for a new outlook. I volunteered for three years in the local A&E department to help brush up first aid skills, and an opportunity for an ambulance job arrived and following a successful interview, commenced my career that has given me immense pleasure and satisfaction.” he said.
Dafydd, who is married to Eirian and has two grown up daughters, undertook training at Wrenbury Hall, at Cheshire, alongside other colleagues from North Wales, Merseyside, Birkenhead and Northern Ireland.
“The rota that we worked was some days we did outpatients and acted as backup for emergencies, other days we performed only as emergency responders. Some of the jobs we attended took us all over the country. Taking emergency transfers to Merseyside accompanied by police escorts was a regular feature and occasionally, much further afield, such as one journey that involved taking a patient up to Aberdeen.
Dafydd added: “Everybody got to know you personally while I worked at Bangor…they knew you were in the ambulance service. People would stop me in the street thanking me for my involvement with their father or friend, colleague etc…”
During the late 70’s, Dafydd, along with other colleagues was keen to expand his knowledge and training and gained an Associate and Fellow qualification through ICAP (Institute of Certified Ambulance Personnel) before gaining a formal qualification in 1986 as a Paramedic.
Dafydd, whose twin brother Trefor is a minister in Wrexham, qualified as an ambulance aid instructor in Yorkshire and then took a post as a relief control officer at Caernarfon. Despite being situated in control, he was seconded to keep teaching ambulance aid to staff and first aid to community groups.
Occasionally he would be seconded to Liverpool on Technician and Paramedic courses as well as teaching members of the public and other organisations basic first aid
He even turned his hand to risk assessments, getting involved with planning for ambulance response to the massive underground Dinorwic power station if workers got into difficulty cleaning the sump pool.
“As part of the ambulance service I was privileged to have access to the part of the power station that the public were not allowed to go.”
Based on the doorstep of the Snowdonia range, Dafydd helped to enhance the partnerships with RAF Search and Rescue and Mountain Rescue… today the two still work side by side with the Welsh Ambulance Service when needed.
“We dealt at lot with helicopter transfers, mainly from Snowdonia, you got to know the mountain rescue and RAF teams and we built up a good rapport with them.
Dafydd and colleagues were privileged to work with the air crew on exercises out at sea and even once by a famous Liverpool landmark.
He recalled: “I participated on an exercise where I was winched from the aircraft onto a moving RNLI boat in front of the Liver building with hundreds of people watching and then be winched off… it was quite an experience!”
Dafydd spent many hours working onboard the RAF Valley aircraft and also worked with North Wales Police onboard their aircraft, paving the foundations for how the air ambulances are used today in Wales.
He has been a keen advocate of the use of ‘Air Ambulance’ and has used his knowledge and relationships, to assist with the establishment of a very successful scheme in Wales.
“Involvement in outdoor rescue operations in the North West of Wales led Dafydd to become involved with Llanberis Mountain Rescue and as a volunteer Snowdonia National Park Ranger
“Even though I was in Control I was used in an operational capacity from time to time; I was used to attend serious incidents because of my training… unfortunately I had more than my fair share of these. “
His relationship with the North Wales Health Boards began to take shape after he left control to become a headquarters service manager.
Dafydd explained: “I was dealing with non ambulance transport for the benefit of the health boards as well as lease cars and coordinating outlying van services to meet the needs of the NHS.
“I came into contact with a lot of people in senior clinical posts and we worked together on a lot of processes.
When the ambulance service became the North Wales Ambulance Trust, Dafydd became one of two divisional officers and stepped up to Regional Ambulance Officer when it became the Welsh Ambulance Service in 1998.
“Previously, I had been through many changes but to become the Welsh Ambulance Service was a massive challenge in terms of policy and processes and, more importantly, structure. The first real test was the planning for the millennium, not just on the party front, but also internally with our IT structure but we came through that.”
His career has led to involvement with many organisations and roles. These have included the promotion of Road Safety, utilising staff with similar aspirations to promote and engage with various groups.
Throughout the Trust, Dafydd has supported the promotion of Welsh Language learning to benefit both staff and patients, as chairman of the Welsh Language Implementation Group.
Dafydd will continue to support the function of ‘Dangerpoint’, a facility supported by the Local Authorities and Emergency Services to help educate and promote safety in a variety of different environments.
After stepping down, Dafydd will continue to perform with Cor y Penrhyn who he has been a member of for over 30 years, touring and performing both in the UK and aboard.
“It’s a privilege to belong to a choir with such a long history which has given me such an outlet.
And his engineering skills will be fully dusted off when he continues volunteer work with the Welsh Highland Railway Society as a Ganger.
“The last three years I have volunteered to help with track laying and maintenance which has been nice as I’ve been able to use my engineering background.
And his thoughts on the career he leaves behind?
“It’s been a real privilege to work in the ambulance service through the period I have and with the people I have worked with. I have been very fortunate to have this opportunity and development over the years, meeting many people and gaining their support. Having worked in various departments and having experienced a range of roles and responsibilities has been beneficial. My career has been wide and varied but most importantly, whatever the role; patient care has been paramount and must be the focal point of any role. I have experienced the good and not so good elements that come with the job. It is not a role that is suited to everyone and one must take cognisance of this when recruiting, making sure that potential newcomers realise what the role involves.
“I was given a tip when I started, whenever you are offered an opportunity for your own personal development; take it, even if it means moving away from frontline work… it’s well worth it in the long run.”
Elwyn Price-Morris, Chief Executive at the Welsh Ambulance Service, added: “Dafydd has been instrumental in the development and delivery of ambulance services in North Wales and more recently across Wales. His friends and colleagues wish him the very best and a long and happy retirement.”
