London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

London County Council 1959

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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The following tables give a cross-section of the work of the general and accident sections
in 1959 and some comparisons with earlier years. Table (ii) shows, inter alia, that the
increased mileage has not been commensurate with the increase in patients or journeys,
with a consequent reduction in the average mileage per patient and journey.

Table: Table (ii)—General Section

Table (ii)—General Section

1947194919551956195719581959
Average mileage per patient*9.717.744.394.124.044.023.94
Average mileage per journey11.4010.058.348.078.058.258.15
Patients carried per 100 journeys1171.30189195198205207
Percentage of lost journeys †N/A4.22.22.11.91.91.87
Delays to ambulances at hospitals of
over half an hour's durationN/AN/A1,372745334283336

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*For 1955 onwards the numbers of patients conveyed are based on the Ministry of Health definition of
'a patient' which differs somewhat from that formerly applied by the Council.
†A 'lost journey' occurs when for any reason the patient is not conveyed.

Table: Table (iii)—Accident Section

Table (iii)—Accident Section

YearNumber of calls receivedAmbulance not requiredAverage time to incident (in minutes)Average time from incident to hospital (in minutes)
194764,5603,7578.36.9
194975,9014,2818.36.0
195596,6616,7477.46.3
195697,8237,1066.75.8
195797,5357,2136.46.0
195899,1887,7466.55.7
1959104,9838,6406.66.2

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notes—1. These numbers include some urgent parturition cases and patients removed by general section
ambulances when passing the scene of an accident.
2. Some accident calls are answered by vehicles from general stations, usually when an ambulance
from the nearest accident station is not available.

Table: Table (iv)—Accident Section—Source of calls

Table (iv)—Accident Section—Source of calls

1947194919551956195719581959
Public and L.C.C. staff41,35547,50563,34664,64766,03968,13472,793
Police13,11713,53914,55414,70715,54615,46816,430
Midwives*1,4097,1165,3474,6211,564714420
Doctors1,1932,7396,4306,7346,7816,8157,092
Hospitals5,7332,5401,9911,8871,9172,0322,021
Railway officials7341,1762,3702,5352,7753,0302,931
Local calls†527802918930892870923
London Fire Brigade3564378868278419281,067
Out county136478199351,1801,2061,306
Total calls64,56075,90196,66197,82397,53599,188104,983

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*Fewer calls for gas-and-air analgesia apparatus because of the introduction of trilene apparatus which
is portable by midwives.
†Made personally at ambulance stations.
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