View report page

LONDON AMBULANCE SERVICE
as will be seen from the statistical tables (page 84), there was a still further increase
in demand for ambulance transport during 1956, though the increase was less than in
any year since the inception of the National Health Service and it seems probable that
some 'levelling out' or at least a slower rate of increase may continue to be expected.
The fact that the total mileage covered by the directly provided and ancillary services
was 136,000 less than the 1955 figure, although 25,000 more patients were conveyed,
reflects the increasing efficiency which is being achieved as a result of the close liaison
with the hospitals served, improvements in the co-ordination of journeys and the
economical use of available transport.
Rail
transport
Extensive use continued to be made of ambulance-train-ambulance arrangements for
the conveyance over long distances of patients able to travel in this way. The number of
such patients eligible to have their rail fares paid by the Council, however, fell from
3,466 in 1955 to 2,928 in 1956.
Radio
controlled
ambulances
Operational trials in the use of radio controlled ambulances and the training of
staff in radio telephony began in May and by the end of the year seven vehicles had been
equipped with radio and seven adapted as reserves. A transmitter at Hampstead is
operated from the headquarters control room and gives complete radio cover over
the county. Improved mobility and availability of vehicles resulted from the use of radio
control but the effects in terms of financial economy and operational efficiency were
still being examined at the end of the year.
Emergency
calls
There was a further increase in the number of emergency calls received from 96,661
in 1955 to 97,823 in 1956. The figures are analysed in the table on page 84.
Nearly 3,000 calls were received at the headquarters control room in which it was
clear that medical assistance rather than ambulance transport was required. In such cases
the caller is advised to summon the patient's own general practitioner or is given
particulars of other medical practitioners in the locality.
Ancillary
services
There was an appreciable increase in the amount of work undertaken during the
year under agency arrangements by the ambulance department of the Joint Committee
of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and the British Red Cross Society. 24,358 patients
were conveyed over a total distance of 436,927 miles as compared with 21,539 patients
and 429,980 miles in 1955. The Joint Committee continues to undertake on behalf of
the Council the majority of long distance removals by road where the medical or
psychological condition of the patient precludes the making of ambulance-trainambulance
arrangements. This affords considerable relief to the directly provided service
and grateful thanks are again due to the Director and his staff for their willing help and
co-operation.
Hospital car
service
During 1956 the Hospital Car Service, on behalf of the Council, transported 120,122
patients over a distance of 1,399,355 miles, compared with 127,938 patients and
1,425,624 miles in 1955. The greater part of the work undertaken is the conveyance of
ambulant out-patients to and from hospitals within the Administrative County, a most
valuable contribution to the work of the Service as a whole. Warmest thanks are
extended to the County Organizer and her staff for their continued help and
co-operation.
Reference is made later to certain suggestions affecting the Hospital Car Service
made by the Minister of Health following a survey of the London Ambulance Service.
Arrangements
in North
Woolwich
The arrangement, whereby the West Ham County Borough Council undertakes,
on behalf of the Council, to provide ambulance services in those parts of the Metropolitan
Borough of Woolwich which he north of the Thames, continued during 1956
and details of the work done appear in the statistical tables on page 84.
78