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tions and this, together with an increase of 5s. 6d. a week, which was authorised by
the Council with effect from 23rd November, 1950, in accordance with an agreement
reached in the National Joint Council for Local Authorities Services (Manual Workers),
results in a wage of 130s. 6d. a week to a qualified driver/attendant. Additional
payments are granted for certain other duties, such as shift duty, Sunday duty and
stand-by duty.
At the end of the year the staff comprised (in addition to headquarters administrative
and clerical staff):—
1 chief superintendent.
7 superintendents.
7 assistant superintendents.
19 station officers (including one for Civil Defence training).
628 operative staff (drivers and attendants—including 2 temporary reliefs).
1 stores assistant.
Civil Defence
The ambulance section will form an essential part of the Civil Defence Corps
and, in accordance with the policy of H.M. Government that in the event of war the
Council's expanded ambulance service shall function as a single integrated service for
the conveyance of both war casualties and the ordinary sick, arrangements were put
in train for the staff of the London Ambulance Service to undergo basic Civil Defence
training.
Vehicles
Reference was made in the 1949 report to the two 3-year programmes (1947-50
and 1950-53) approved by the Council for the replacement of vehicles in the London
Ambulance Service fleet and to the fact that, although the first programme provided
for the supply of 120 new ambulances by 31st March, 1950, only 39 had been taken
into commission by the end of 1949.
I am happy to report that during 1950, not only were the arrears of deliveries
quickly overtaken but substantial progress was made towards the completion of the
first stage of the second programme.
Altogether, during the year, 139 new vehicles were taken into commission (126
ambulances, 3 single stretcher ambulances and 10 ambulance-omnibuses) while 115
vehicles (91 ambulances, 19 ambulance-omnibuses and 5 sitting-case cars) were
withdrawn from Service.
The vehicle strength at the end of the year was :—
310 ambulances of various types.
14 ambulance omnibuses.
21 sitting-case cars.
2 emergency tenders.
Decentralisation
Measures to relieve pressure on ambulance service
As will be seen from the foregoing paragraphs, the recruitment of additional
staff and the expansion of the ambulanoe fleet has not been in any way commensurate
with the heavy increase in demand on the service and considerable ingenuity has
been called for in the devising of new methods for dealing with the demand so as to
ensure that the most economical and efficient use is made of available resources.
During the year ambidance transport arrangements for 14 more hospitals
(making 28 in all) were " decentralised," i.e., arrangements were made for one or
more ambulances, according to need, to be stationed at the hospitals during the day
for the purpose of conveying local out-patients to and from the hospital at the direct
order of a transport officer appointed by the hospital to co-ordinate ambulance orders
from their various departments,