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The North East Ambulance Service has won national recognition for supporting staff and making healthcare more accessible.
The North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust has won Gold in the 2026 TIDE (Talent, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity) benchmark, which measures equality, diversity and inclusion in leadership, workplace culture, staff practices and services.
It ranked sixth nationally, fifth among public-sector organisations and fourth in the health sector.
Kevin Scollay, chief executive of NEAS, said: "We're incredibly proud to have achieved Gold, but what matters most is what sits behind the award.
"This recognition reflects the work our colleagues are doing every day to create a workplace where people feel respected, valued and able to be themselves, while also making sure our services meet the needs of the diverse communities we serve."
The Gold award recognises NEAS’s work to support staff from all backgrounds and improve patients’ access to services.
Recent work has supported colleagues facing hate and harassment, improved reasonable adjustments for disabled staff, expanded staff networks and strengthened links with under-represented communities.
Mr Scollay said: "For patients, equality and inclusion can mean being able to access information in the right format, having confidence that individual needs will be understood, or feeling that their voice is heard.
"For staff, it means having opportunities to succeed and feeling supported to bring their whole selves to work.
"The benchmark shows we're making progress, but it also highlights where we need to do more.
"We'll continue listening to colleagues, patients and communities so that we can keep improving and reduce inequalities wherever we find them."
Patient services have also improved, with clearer communication, stronger community links and better use of feedback to tackle health inequalities.
The TIDE assessment praised NEAS for combining feedback from staff, patients and communities with data to tackle inequalities.
Karen O'Brien, NEAS’s director of people, said: "This award belongs to colleagues across NEAS who are helping to build a culture where inclusion matters and where everyone has a role to play in creating a fair and respectful workplace.
"What makes the TIDE assessment valuable is that it doesn't simply measure policies.
"It helps us understand whether we're creating meaningful change for people."
Ms O'Brien said the trust had improved support for disabled staff, tackled hate and harassment and made services more accessible, but more work remained.
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She said: "We'll use the findings, alongside what colleagues, patients and communities tell us, to shape our new Equality Plan and ensure our efforts continue to make a real difference to people's experiences."
The Gold rating will help shape NEAS’s new Equality Plan for 2027–31, alongside input from staff, patients and the wider community.
A NEAS spokesperson said the award was an important milestone, but the trust would keep working to ensure fair access to services and a workplace where staff feel valued and respected.