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it has always been the aim of the Council to maintain, but it is hoped that within
the next year the majority of the old and sub-standard vehicles will be replaced.
Other new vehicles brought into use during the year as part of the three-year
replacement plan were:—
10—30 cwt. Bedford ambulances.
11—Single-stretcher and sitting-case ambulances.
10—Sitting-case cars.
The prototype of the single stretcher ambulance also was produced at the
Council's Motor Vehicle Repair Depot and these vehicles have proved an extremely
valuable addition to the ambulance fleet and are used mostly for conveyance of
patients attending out-patient departments at the larger hospitals.
In December, a second three-year replacement programme (1950-1953) was
submitted to the Health Committee recommending the provision" of a further 140
new ambulances, 16 single stretcher ambulances, 2 breakdown tenders and
1 vehicle specially adapted for the conveyance of an "iron lung."
Decentralisation
During the year there was an extension of the decentralisation measure, first
introduced in 1948, whereby those hospitals requiring ambulances for large numbers
of out-patients make their applications direct to the nearest general ambulance
station instead of centrally to the Control Room. Further steps to effect economies
by decentralisation were also taken by stationing at hospitals during the day time
one or more ambulances, according to need, and arranging for the ambulance crews
to bring out-patients to the hospitals and take them home at the order of the
hospital transport officer. Thus, by collecting and returning patients in batches
from conveniently grouped addresses, it has been found possible to effect substantial
savings of time and mileage run. By the end of 1949, these arrangements had been
introduced at 14 hospitals and in every case were working to the advantage
and satisfaction of both the hospital authorities and the Ambulance Service.
Opportunity will be taken to extend them to other hospitals whenever the
amount of work involved is shown to justify such a course.
Train Journeys
Apart from the decentralisation arrangements referred to in the foregoing
paragraph, the most effective economy measure secured during the year has
resulted from a careful scrutiny and enquiry into all applications for the removal of
patients to distant addresses and the substitution, wherever possible, of rail for road
transport over the major portion of such journeys.
As in the case of decentralisation, this has been achieved only as a result of
close and harmonious co-operation between the senior administrative staff of the
Service and the medical and lay staff at the various hospitals. Thanks are due also
to the Railway Executive staffs who have at all times been most helpful in the
matter of reserving the necessary accommodation, and in their general solicitude
for the comfort of the patients concerned.
Major Accidents
Four major incidents involving calls on the accident section of the London
Ambulance Service occurred during the year. The most serious of these was an
outbreak of fire at the Covent Garden Flower Market, on 20th December, which
lasted for more than 48 hours. The first call on the London Ambulance Service was
received at 11.40 a.m. when two firemen were taken to hospital, and from that time
until the ambulances were dismissed at 10.31 p.m. on the following day from one to
three vehicles, according to need, stood by continuously. In all 41 firemen, one of