Magpas Air Ambulance’s Executive Medical Director, Dr Simon Lewis, and former Medical Director, Dr Rod Mackenzie, have both been awarded an MBE in His Majesty The King’s Birthday Honours list 2026, for services to emergency care.
Dr Simon Lewis began working with the charity as a volunteer over 25 years ago and has since made an extraordinary and lasting contribution to emergency medicine across the UK. Now the charity’s Executive Medical Director and a Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Dr Simon Lewis’ impact has been transformational.
Dr Rod Mackenzie joined Magpas Air Ambulance as a volunteer doctor in the early 1990’s. He was critical to the formation of the Cambridgeshire Community First Responder Scheme and to setting up the very first helicopter mission at Magpas Air Ambulance; which flew in 1997 to a patient in Wisbech, with Rod as the serving doctor on board.
Dr Lewis and Dr Mackenzie co-created the first structured, nationally recognised Pre Hospital Emergency Medicine training course—developing the 10 themes that underpin today’s national curriculum—and jointly secured General Medical Council recognition for the specialty.
Their work has shaped Magpas Air Ambulance’s service into a nationally respected model of excellence and, as a result, is now the largest trainer of air ambulance doctors in the UK.
In addition, their contributions to the East of England major trauma project board established the East of England Major Trauma Network as one of the first in the UK outside of London, revolutionising care for thousands of major trauma patients.
This prestigious achievement follows recent recognition from clinical and sector bodies. In 2025, Dr Simon Lewis won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence, which recognises individuals whose long-term dedication, innovation, leadership and clinical excellence have made a lasting impact. Both doctors have also been recipients of the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care medal, awarded by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, for going above and beyond to deliver fundamental and developmental change within the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care.
On receiving the news, Dr Simon Lewis said, “I am incredibly proud and deeply honoured to receive this award. While this is a wonderful personal recognition, pre-hospital emergency medicine is never about one individual. I see this as a recognition of the phenomenal team at Magpas Air Ambulance—the doctors, paramedics, aircrew, charity staff, volunteers, and all those who donate and work tirelessly behind the scenes. It is an immense privilege to work alongside such an inspirational group of people who bring lifesaving care to patients across our region every single day.”
Dr Rod Mackenzie shared, “My involvement in Magpas Air Ambulance, and the organisation’s faith in me and my vision for pre-hospital emergency medicine shaped not only my own career direction and choices, but also those of many doctors and paramedics. Most importantly, it helped shape the care provided to patients at some of the most difficult moments of their lives; not just in Cambridgeshire, but across the UK. I feel deeply indebted to the charity, and I feel a profound sense of personal satisfaction and pride whenever I see the aircraft or cars deploying. They are a visible reminder of what Magpas Air Ambulance has achieved and what it continues to represent. I am honoured and privileged to have been recognised by His Majesty The King in his Birthday Honours list.”
The legacy of both doctors is felt not only at Magpas Air Ambulance, but also across the whole air ambulance sector, and the NHS; where their clinical work has saved and improved the lives of thousands of patients and their support for clinicians has inspired countless careers.
Magpas Air Ambulance’s Chief Executive Officer, Daryl Brown MBE, says, “What sets Simon and Rod apart is the scale and sustainability of their impact. They have both personally treated countless patients directly, but more importantly, they created systems and standards that will benefit generations to come. Their voluntary commitment to Magpas Air Ambulance, on top of their NHS roles as Consultants in Emergency Medicine at Cambridge University Hospitals, demonstrates service of the highest order. And their influence at a local, regional, and national level has left pre-hospital and trauma care in the UK unrecognisably better than when it began.
“Dr Simon Lewis and Dr Rod Mackenzie’s influence will continue to make a life-changing difference for thousands of patients, and these MBEs recognise their lifelong commitment to excellence in patient care.”
Dr Peter Holden, who sits on the board of trustees at Magpas Air Ambulance and worked on the frontline alongside both clinicians, adds, “Dr Simon Lewis and Dr Rod Mackenzie’s contributions have been profound, far-reaching, and delivered with humility. They are pioneers, whose work has saved lives, advanced a specialty, and inspired countless careers. These national honours are richly deserved recognition of their exceptional service.”
