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extended during the year to cover all the provincial laboratories which were being
set up under the Ministry's Emergency Pathological Service. In order to meet
the increased requirements, a further media making establishment was authorised
and additional storage and packing accommodation provided.
Facilities were granted during the year for students of the London (Royal
Free Hospital) School of Medicine for Women to obtain instruction in clinical
pathology and morbid anatomy at the group and histological laboratories at
Archway hospital.
A visit was paid to one of the group laboratories in December by a number
of American and Canadian Army pathologists and very successful demonstrations
were given, which were greatly appreciated.
A number of technical officers from the Canadian Forces have been permitted
to attend certain group laboratories for short periods in order to study recent
progress in pathological work.
LONDON AMBULANCE SERVICE
In May, 1942, the Council placed the London Ambulance Service under the
control of Lieut.-Col. Andrew Topping, T.D., M.D., M.R.C.P., the Deputy Medical
Officer of Health, and appointed him to be Director. Mr. A. G. Hellman, who had
been Acting Officer-in-Charge since the outbreak of war, became the Assistant
Director.
Owing to the growing shortage of men available as drivers and attendants
in the regular service; the Council approved the employment of women as war-time
substitutes. Two women station officers and 90 women operatives were appointed
during the year. Each woman station officer took charge of a training station
where women operatives, most of whom had previously served in the auxiliary
service, underwent a course of tuition in the duties of the regular staff and were
subsequently posted to the various general and accident stations.
By a decision of the Government, the hours of duty in the auxiliary ambulance
service were increased in April from 72 hours a week for men and 48 a week for
women to 84 hours a week for both sexes, subject to the granting to women of a
privilege rest day once a fortnight during periods of lull. At the same time as the
hours of duty were increased in April a reduction in the number of auxiliary personnel
was effected. The opportunity was taken to standardise the shift systems operating
in the auxiliary service and all staff now work 24-hour shifts. This resulted in many
of them being at the stations for longer continuous periods, and it was necessary
to extend and improve the sleeping accommodation. Additional furniture and
equipment were also necessary, and the extensive plan of improvements which had
been inaugurated in 1941 was continued as rapidly as shortage of labour and materials
permitted. By the end of the year it was virtually completed.
An important development in the duties of the auxiliary service took place
when the Government agreed to allow auxiliaries to undertake duties normally
falling to the regular service as well as a variety of other transport functions for the
Council and other local authorities. This scheme, which did not become operative
until the end of the year under review, was enthusiastically welcomed by the
auxiliaries.
During the year further endeavours have been made to secure the services of
part-time auxiliaries in order to lessen the demands on the national man-power.
At the beginning of the year the Civil Defence Employment and Offences Order
(No. 4) 1942 provided for the compulsory retention of part-time auxiliaries in the
service and prescribed penalties for part-time auxiliaries who disobeyed lawful
orders or who absented themselves from duty without reasonable excuse.