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112
The original Schemes drawn up by the Home Office included
(1) First Aid Posts and Decontamination Centres,
(2) Casualty Clearing Hospitals, (3) Base Hospitals and
(4) Ambulance and Transport Services.
It soon became apparent, however, that the arrangements
suggested were too limited in scope, did not foresee the need
for continuity in medical treatment, and failed to utilise fully
established Institutions and the skilled personnel available.
Nevertheless, every endeavour was made to draw up local
plans on these lines and an Air Raid Precautions (General)
Scheme No. 1 was approved by the Council on March 8th. 1938.
No uniform system for recruitment and training of
volunteers had been suggested and the numbers available were
minima in comparison with those required.
It was not until September the 24th that the Public Health
Department was given the responsibility of training recruits
for the Casualty Services.
During the week ending October the 1st, a complete
Emergency Scheme of Casualty Services, using the Health
Centres was set up, since the original plan to use converted
Schools was impracticable owing to the time necessary to carry
out essential building alterations.
I think it is fair to say that the criticisms made above
regarding the limited character of the general arrangements
became obvious to all concerned during this period. Since
September, therefore, progress has been vastly accelerated and
with the transfer of administrative control from the Home
Office to the Ministry of Health in December, 1938, new and
far reaching plans have been advanced and are being put into
immediate operation.