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The chief operating officer of St John Ambulance has been recognised in the New Year’s honours list for his work during this year’s coronavirus pandemic.

Richard Lee, who lives in Abertridwr, is being appointed a Member of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to healthcare.

The 49-year-old registered paramedic joined St John as chief operating officer two years ago following a role as Director of Operations at the Welsh Ambulance Service and active service in the Royal Air Force during the Gulf War in 1991.

He was awarded the Queen’s Ambulance Service Medal in 2016 and also holds the Order of St John.

Mr Lee said: “I am both surprised and humbled to receive this honour. The last 12 months have been the busiest in the history of St John Ambulance. Our Covid-19 response has been made possible by the thousands of St John People who all played their part.

“I will always make sure that everyone’s contribution to our response is remembered. I am very grateful to St John for allowing me to play my part in our response and nominating me for such a prestigious honour.”

Mr Lee’s healthcare career has focused mainly on ambulance operations and has worked successfully to improve response times, patient outcomes and clinical standards.

His experience has also led to his appointment as an Examiner for the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh where he also holds a Fellowship in Immediate Medical Care.

During the pandemic, Mr Lee, who is originally from north Wales, has turned St John’s event first aid operations to focus fully on the charity’s Covid-19 response in what would be the largest ever peacetime deployment of the charity’s volunteers.

The team of St John volunteers and staff has now delivered more than 250,000 hours of support to the NHS and Mr Lee’s efforts have been widely commended by NHS colleagues, the volunteer team and the charity’s trustees alike.

In addition to his work with volunteers ensuring that appropriate training, protective equipment and wellbeing support was in place, especially in the high-pressure Nightingale Hospital environment, Mr Lee has been volunteering his time and paramedic skills on ambulances for the charity, treating Covid patients and in at least one case, being the difference between life and death for a patient.