A director at the East Anglian Air Ambulance has been awarded one of the highest honours in the medical profession in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the field of emergency medicine.

David Zideman, director of clinical operations at the charity, was awarded a Gold Medal by The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland in recognition of his highly distinguished career. On the same weekend, he was also named as a Resuscitation Giant by the Basic Organisation (British Association for Immediate Care) which awarded him a lifetime achievement award.

Before joining the air ambulance, Dr Zideman held the role of clinical lead for emergency medical services at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. Tim Page, chief executive, said: 'These honours bestowed upon David Zideman are truly deserved and I offer our hearty congratulations. His experience and skills are second to none; our clinical teams are benefitting hugely from his much valued work with us. The best news is that the people of East Anglia who suffer a medical emergency or accident will benefit from the skills and expertise that Dr Zideman brings.'