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49
AMBULANCE SERVICE
A.L. Hill, Esq.,
Chief Ambulance Officer
During the year the Service was called upon to deal with
120,053 patients, which necessitated 53, 194 journeys and a
mileage of 423,602.
Compared with 1960 these figures show an increase of 4,796
patients, 7,166 miles and 1,490 journeys.
There were 16,545 patients conveyed to places outside the
Borough, and on these journeys 134, 323 miles were travelled.
The number of patients admitted to Hospitals and Nursing
Homes were 9,614 compared with 9,548 the previous year.
Traffic congestion and sickness of staff again provided
difficulties with increasing transportation. A total of 914
days sickness compared with 879 during 1960 and 800 during 1959
was experienced. Six men resigned, two retired owing to bad
health and I regret to say that one man died suddenly at home
after 19 years service. Three extra men together with nine replacements
were employed and trained.
With effect from September 14th all casualties were taken to
Croydon General Hospital between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 a.m.
as Mayday and Purley Hospitals Casualty Departments were closed,
in accordance with instructions from the Croydon Group Hospital
Management Committee. This closure did not present any difficulties
and from an Ambulance point of view is operating
efficiently.
All Emergency Ambulances were fitted with new blue flashing
warning lights.
A new Mess Room has been opened for personnel and is situated
opposite the main building adjacent to the garages. It offers
better facilities for the Men and leaves only Administrative
Officers in the main building.
In June of this year, a team of two men was entered for the
Chief Ambulance Officers' Association, No. 5 Regional Cup for
First Aid Efficiency (both practical and theoretical) which was
held at the Surrey County Ambulance Headquarters, Kingston Road,
Kingston-upon-Thames. Fourteen teams from various County and
County Boroughs entered and the team from this Service was
Placed second, winning a Shield.