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71
Train
journeys
The number of "ambulance-train-ambulance" journeys arranged during 1950
reached the record figure of 1,975, the monthly total rising from 84 in January to
285 in December, and I would again pay tribute to the Railway Executive Staffs for
their co-operation in making these arrangements and providing reserved accommodation,
special rolling stock, etc., often at unavoidably short notice.
It is confidently expected that still greater use wdl be made of the railways for
long distance removals as full knowledge of the facilities offered becomes more widely
disseminated and that, in time, hospitals, etc., will agree without question to accept
this means of conveyance in all cases where there is no medical contra-indication to it.
Quite apart from the fact that it is considerably cheaper to send patients by rail
over long distance, it is more comfortable, very much quicker and consequently less
fatiguing for the patients than a long journey by road, especially in winter when the
additional hazards of fog, ice, snow and flood are likely to be encountered. Moreover,
it is to the advantage of users of the service generally that the difficulties which
are being experienced in dealing with the present overwhelming demand for ambulance
transport should not be aggravated by the depletion of the ambulance fleet for
extended periods which results from sending ambulances on long distance removals.
Major accidents
Major accidents were, unfortunately, more numerous during 1950 than in recent
years and the following are only a few examples of the many multiple calls answered
by the Accident Section of the Service:—
April 7 Fire at Bernard Street, W.C.I—three ambulances sent.
Nine residents (one fatally injured) and one fireman
removed to hospital.
July 22 Coach conveying children in collision with a lamp standard
in Holloway Road—two ambulances sent. Twenty-four
casualties removed.
Aug. 14 Two trams in collision Glenbow Road—Downham Way—
two ambulances sent. Seventeen injured persons taken to
hospital.
Nov. 18 Two trams in collision in Kingsway subway—three
ambulances sent. Twelve casualties removed to hospital.
Nov. 20 Coach in collision with obelisk—Ebury Bridge Road—
Chelsea Bridge Road—three ambulances sent. Fifteen
casualties removed to hospital.
Visitors to the London Ambulance Service Headquarters
Many of the overseas visitors referred to in the introduction to this report who
came during the year to obtain first-hand information about the Council's Health
Services were shown over the Headquarters Control room of the London Ambulance
Service and the Headquarters Ambulance Station.
In addition, a total of nearly 150 persons visited the Headquarters Control room
during the year and were given a practical demonstration of the Council's organisation
for dealing with the receipt and allocation of calls for ambulance transport.
These included delegations of students, representatives of other local health
authorities and a number of hospital transport officers and almoners responsible for
the ordering of ambulance transport. The visits of the latter have proved of great
value in establishing close and cordial relations between the staffs of hospitals and of