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 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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National Safe Driving Competition—In common with drivers in other departments of the
Council, most ambulance driver/attendants enter for the annual National Safe Driving
Competition held by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. The following
The following table shows the number of drivers entered annually and the success achieved:
| Awards | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Entrants | Total | 1-9 years | 10-14 years | 15-19 years | 20 years or more |
| 1948 | N/A | 347 | 263 | 35 | 24 | |
| 1949 | N/A | 397 | 321 | 32 | 22 | |
| 1950 | N/A | 432 | 339 | 51 | 22 | |
| 1951 | N/A | 462 | 357 | 60 | 21 | 24 |
| 1952 | N/A | 474 | 369 | 60 | 23 | 22 |
| 1953 | 628 | 500 | 395 | 62 | 23 | 20 |
| 1954 | 676 | 546 | 434 | 63 | 24 | 25 |
| 1955 | 671 | 570 | 441 | 70 | 33 | 26 |
| 1956 | 716 | 615 | 473 | 77 | 37 | 28 |
| 1957 | 750 | 610 | 464 | 77 | 39 | 30 |
| 1958 | 763 | 531 | 394 | 82 | 31 | 24 |
| 1959 | 765 | 519 | 371 | 88 | 40 | 20 |
| 1960 | 779 | 520 | 362 | 101 | 41 | 16 |
| 1961 | 692 | 481 | 324 | 104 | 38 | 15 |
| 1962 | 769 | 539 | 384 | 99 | 39 | 17 |
| 1963 | 753 | 536 | 383 | 92 | 37 | 24 |
| 1964 | 769 | 547 | 403 | 82 | 42 | 20 |
To this statistical data about the staff of the London Ambulance Service there should
be added a word of recognition of the spirit which imbues the Service. Throughout the
years reviewed in this report a remarkably high level of morale has been maintained.
The men and women of the London Ambulance Service, with very few exceptions, have
shown a notable devotion to their calling. For them 'Service' is no casual expression
lightly thrown off: it has real significance.
Civil Defence
A review of Civil Defencc training over the period 1948-1964 falls naturally into two
parts: training given to members of the regular peacetime service and training given to
volunteers in the Civil Defence Corps.
Training given to members of the peacetime service—Local authorities are required by
Regulation 2(b) of the Civil Defence (Ambulance) Regulations 1949 (S.1.2146) to train in
Civil Defence members of the staff of their ambulance services. As mentioned above such
training in London commenced in February 1951 when 10 men at a time were given a
week's course; lectures were given by two station officers and 42 courses were held that
year. This basic Civil Defence training was completed in 1953 and from then on it was
given to all new entrants to the Service, whilst drivers already in the Service were given
more advanced training. In 1956 the one week's Civil Defence course was incorporated
in a three-weeks course for new entrants, the other two weeks being related to peacetime
duties and to first aid.
As more and more Civil Defence exercises have been held, designed particularly for
participation of volunteers, so members of the peacetime service have increasingly taken
part. Plans made to introduce refresher training for the peacetime service early in 1965
include a strong element of Civil Defence revision to bring drivers' knowledge up-to-date
in the light of many changes in Civil Defence organisation which have taken place since
reorganisation in 1962.
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