AN AMBULANCE service chief has announced his retirement after more than 30 years.

Derek Cartwright QAM, chief executive of North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), made the announcement last week to the trust’s staff.

Before taking on the chief executive role, Mr Cartwright’s lengthy career saw him working in several areas of the organisation.

This included his first position in the patient transport service in 1986, to joining the emergency service in 1988 as one of Greater Manchester’s first cohort of paramedics, and then moving into the operational control centre as a shift control manager.

After several years as an operational manager in Oldham and Rochdale, Mr Cartwright progressed to become general manager, operations director, area director in Cumbria and Lancashire, director of emergency services and became chief executive in 2016.

NWAS chairman Wyn Dignan said: “Derek was immensely proud to be appointed as chief executive and has put his heart and soul into supporting staff and patients across the North West.

"He is held in high regard by all parts of the health sector and particularly across the ambulance sector and will be sorely missed by us all."