An emergency medical charity has appointed a new chairman.

Dr Pamela Chrispin was appointed to the post at the Suffolk Accident Rescue Service’s (SARS) annual general meeting on Wednesday evening.

Dr Chrispin is a former medical director of the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) and has been a member of SARS since 2005.

She responds for the charity to serious medical incidents in and around her home near Diss.

Dr Chrispin succeeds Dr Fiona Andrews who has retired after a year in the post, but will continue to respond for the charity to incidents in the Haverhill area.

Dr Chrispin paid tribute Dr Andrews, saying: “Fiona has put in a year of hard work on behalf of SARS and helped steer us through a difficult period when the charity was struggling financially.

“Real progress has been made under her stewardship this year and I am keen to build on Fiona’s excellent work and help take SARS forward.

“We now have a really strong team and many highly committed volunteers.

“SARS has been a vital asset for the people of Suffolk for over 40 years and I am honoured to have been elected chair.”

SARS vice chairman, Dr Andrew Mason welcomed the new appointment.

He said: “Pam brings a wealth of clinical and administrative experience to the role and I very much look forward to working alongside her.”

Dr Chrispin has previously worked at West Suffolk Hospital as well as for EEAST and additionally is a consultant for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

SARS provides specially trained doctors and critical care paramedics to assist the EEAST at the scenes of serious incidents.