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
Beckenham 1948
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Beckenham]
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(h) Ambulance Facilities.
1. For Infectious Diseases.
The West Kent Joint Hospital Board provided motor
Ambulances for the removal of Fever cases to Hospital and
returned cases to their homes when discharged.
2. For Non-Infectious and Accident Cases.
The Beckenham and Penge Councils collaborated in a
Joint Service administered by Beckenham, and this came into
operation on 1st July, 1945. The vehicles were stationed at
the Beckenham and Penge Fire Stations and all calls were
received over the N.F.S. telephone system.
The following table shows the calls dealt with by the Joint Service up to 5th July, 1948, when the provision of an Ambulance Service became the responsibility of the Kent County Council.
| Calls operated | Accidents | Removals to Hospitals | Maternity Cases | Calls Transferred to adjoining areas | Mileage covered | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 1,014 | 195 | 679 | 140 | 42 | 10,853 |
| Night | 358 | 47 | 65 | 246 | ||
| Total | 1,372 | 242 | 744 | 386 | 42 | 10,853 |
A rrangements in force at 4th J uly , 1948.
| Service | Days and Times | Premises in Use | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ante-Natal | Fridays, 2—4 (3 times a month) | Clinic Block, Town Hall | |
| Fridays, 2—4 (once a month | Clinic Block, Hawes Lane, W. Wickham | ||
| Wednesdays, 10.30— 12.30 (alternate) | Hawes Lane Clinic Block | ||
| Fridays, 10—12 (weekly) | R.M.O. | Maternity Hospital | |
| Thursdays, 10—12 (weekly) | Practitioners' | ||
| Mon.,Tues.,Wed., 10—12 | Matron's Clinic | ||
| Obstetric Consultant | Mondays (weekly), 2—4 | Maternity Hospital | |