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than in 1950. There was, however, a very appreciable increase in the number of
patients conveyed (over 2,000 more than in 1950) due to the fact that towards the
end of the year the department took over a proportion of the work at the Limb-fitting
Centre of the Ministry of Pensions at Roehampton, which had previously been carried
out by the Council's own vehicles.
Hospital Car
Service
The statistics of work done by the County of London Hospital Car Service during
1951 also show a decrease in mileage but an increase in the number of patients conveyed
and again this reflects the economy and increased efficiency achieved by the
"decentralised" arrangements referred to earlier. The Hospital Car Service work
of four of the London Teaching Hospitals was decentralised and the cars stationed at
these hospitals conveyed on an average a total of more than 4,000 patients and
travelled over 40,000 miles a month.
West Ham
County
Borough
Council
The West Ham County Borough Council continued to provide ambulance services
on behalf of the Council in the two parts of the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich
which lie north of the River Thames.
Staff
Owing to the continued difficulty experienced in obtaining suitable male ambulance
drivers to fill vacancies in the Service, the Health Committee, in July, 1951,
authorised the recruitment, in a temporary capacity, of women ambulance drivers
and, by the end of the year 30 women had been so engaged. This has, in the main,
accounted for the increase in the numbers of operative staff from 628 to 669.
It has been decided that the duties of women shall normally be restricted to
sitting-case removals although only those who are capable of assisting in lifting a
stretcher patient, if called upon in an emergency, have been engaged. Women are
particularly suitable for the type of work arising at hospitals with large out-patient
departments, at which ambulances are stationed daily, because the majority of
patients attending are able to travel sitting up and can assist themselves in and out
of the ambulances. In accordance with the existing practice applied to male entrants
to the Service, women are required to obtain within six months of engagement a
recognised qualification in first-aid to the injured—London County Council certificate
in first-aid to the injured, St. John Ambulance Association first-aid certificate or
medallion, British Red Cross Society certificate, or St. Andrew's Ambulance Association
certificate—and, before being allowed to act as attendants, must satisfy a
medical officer of the department that they are competant to do so. All staff holding
such a certificate are paid an additional 6s. a week, in accordance with a recommendation
of the London District Council of the National Joint Council for Local Authorities'
Services (Manual Workers). Following a recommendation of the Joint Council the
Council authorised, with effect from 30th August, 1951, an increase of 7s. 4d. a week
to members of the operative staff, thus bringing the wage of a driver/attendant,
qualified in first-aid, to 137s. 10d. a week, apart from additional payment for such
duties 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.
8 Superintendents (including one seconded for Civil Defence training).
7 Assistant Superintendents.
21 Station Officers (including two seconded as Civil Defence instructors).
669 Operative Staff (drivers and attendants).