New Ambulance Chief Officer appointed

Friday 23 March 2018

Ali Marquis has been appointed as the new Chief Officer for the St John Ambulance & Rescue Service, becoming the first female Chief Ambulance Officer in Guernsey.

Mrs Marquis, who was formally the Deputy Chief Officer, took up her new position at the beginning of this month. She had been acting-Chief Officer since the retirement of Jon Beausire in August 2017.

Mrs Marquis said: “I am delighted and humbled, this is a great responsibility and an amazing opportunity. I am looking forward to serving the community and working with the committed and dedicated women and men of the Service as we develop our range of pre-hospital care over the next few years in support of the new health model. I would also like to thank my predecessor and the Board of St John, who have mentored and supported me along the way."

Mrs Marquis joined the ambulance service in 2006, following a successful career as a civil servant and human resource professional. She was originally appointed as a senior HR manager with responsibility for organisational development and progressed through the years to Assistant Chief Officer then most recently to Deputy Chief Officer. In the last three years she has been responsible for the oversight of all operational and clinical activities of the Service as well as being a director for St John training services.   

During her time as a civil servant she worked for the Housing, Social Security and Health Departments, rising to become the assistant director of HR for what was then the Health and Social Services Department. She was also a member of the management board for the Women’s Refuge, is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel Development, holds the Chartered Management Institute Certificate in Strategic Leadership and Management and is a certified national ambulance service Gold Commander.  

Mrs Marquis is among a growing number of senior emergency service officers nationally who have not come through the traditional operational service ranks and also of only three women to lead an ambulance service in the British Isles.  She said: “Whilst I first joined the ambulance service in an HR management role I am delighted with the way my career has progressed into leading the operational and clinical activities of the organisation. This new role demands good communication skills and I think my years as a HR professional at Health and Social Services and my more recent operational responsibilities have helped me tremendously. I enjoy working with the medical profession and the experience I have gained through my time with the service and with HSSD, has stood me in good stead for this new role which involves dealing with a wide variety of people. "

"The team here is a fantastic one, our strategy is clear and the employees and volunteers are committed and professional. They all genuinely care about the work they do and that care extends to the way they provide the medical treatment to our patients, often going over and above what is required of them. I am proud to be a part of this unique organisation and look forward to leading the service as it develops in the future.” 

Steve Le Page, Chair of the Board of St John Ambulance & Rescue Service said: “Ali Marquis is the first female Chief Officer of the Service, she is a proven leader and will be a great influence in shaping the Service as it faces the challenges of increasing demand and the provision of higher levels of pre-hospital clinical care. She also takes charge at a time of change for the emergency ambulance service as we look forward to securing a new contract with HSC for 2019 onwards. This will lead to the Service being developed under the new Health Model as a key player in HSC’s ‘Partnership of Purpose’.

"I, my Board and the Commandery of St John are delighted to have appointed such a capable Chief Officer and we are confident that she will continue to build on the excellent leadership of the Service, over many years by Jon Beausire up until his recent retirement.” 

Under a contract with the States of Guernsey St John responds each year to more than 4,000 emergency calls and transfers, as well a similar number of patients who need to go for scheduled diagnosis and treatment. St John continues to provide a marine ambulance service, inshore rescue and volunteer community responders. As a not for profit organisation providing Guernsey’s only ambulance service, it receives approximately 70% of its funding from the States, raising the rest required to meet the cost of running the service from a subscription scheme, user charges and donations.