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82
During the year under review the chief work done by the service has been:—
(1) The conveyance of physically and mentally defective and blind and stammering children to
and from school. There are in all 290 such children on the list for conveyance and on the
average 226 are conveyed daily along 13 different routes.
(2) The conveyance of cases of sickness, accident, maternity and infectious disease to hospitals.
7,347 such cases were removed in 1936-37. A number of these cases are out-patients taken
to and from hospital for treatment.
(3) The transport of laundry to Kingsbury Hospital, three Health Centres, Special Schools,
Mortuary, Lower Place Nursery and Public Health Department.
(4) Conveyance of meals from the Feeding Centres to the Physically and Mentally Defective
Schools.
(5) Conveyance of children to feeding centres from Wykeham, Braintcroft, Wesley Road and
Stonebridge Schools.
(6) Certain works for other departments.
Staff—The staff at 31st March, 1937, consisted of a Mechanic Superintendent, who is also
Engineer to the Hospital; one assistant engineer ; one fitter's mate (skilled handy man) ; and 19 motor
drivers. Since that date one motor driver has been added to the staff as provided for in estimates
1937-38.
There are thus 16 vehicles to be manned and a night service to be maintained with 20 drivers.
Of the 20 motor drivers three are wholly employed on vehicles Nos. 3, 14 and 17 (Table 72) ;
six are allocated to seven school 'buses, six of which are in regular use and the seventh in occasional use;
one driver is wholly employed on the Disinfection Van. This leaves ten men to man five ambulances
and do the miscellaneous work. The work of these ten men is supplemented by the spare time of the
six men on the school 'buses, but when it is remembered that many of the ambulance calls require two
men, and that it takes more than 3£ men to keep one man on 24 hours per day, it will be understood
that although the workshop staff and even the hospital porters occasionally are used to assist the
Service, that nevertheless some calls have to be refused or kept waiting because staff is not available or
are undermanned when answered. It should also be noted that it is only exceptionally that any man is
employed as a holiday relief. It should further be noted that with Saturday feeding of school children
and the payment of wages on some Saturday mornings, three 'buses are frequently in use on Saturdays.
One motor driver is on the temporary list.
Special Note on Staff.
Table 75 above shows the rapid increase in ambulance calls. During the three years 1-4-31 to
31-3-34 the number of calls per annum was fairly constant, being round about 4,400, but since then the
calls have gone up by 1,000 each year, being over 5,000 in 1934-35, over 6,000 in 1935-36 and over
7,000 in 1936-37. This rapid increase of demands on the service requires the consideration of the
Committee as calls are sometimes refused or kept waiting which is not as the Committee would desire.
The reason for this delay is not on account of lack of ambulances but on account of lack of staff. In
addition to delay it often happens that an ambulance is sent to an accident with only one man which is
very undesirable, and often leads the public on the spot to make uncomplimentary remarks as to the
inadequacy of the ambulance service.
The London County Council Ambulance Service is staffed on the basis of 6 men per ambulance,
which would mean that the Willesden Authority would employ 30 men instead of 10 as now employed.
A great improvement in the present position would be effected if the ambulance staff were brought up to
3 men per ambulance, making 15 men for the 5 ambulances instead of 10 as at present.
From records kept the greatest number of calls on the ambulance service is made between
7 a.m. and 6 p.m. With this number of staff it would be possible to have 6 men on duty for ambulance
service only between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. and 3 men on duty for ambulance service only
between the hours of 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. The Resident Chauffeur would also be available in respect of
any particular emergency that might arise.
Garage.—There is now available at the garage at the Municipal Hospital accommodation for a total
of 31 vehicles allowing 200 square feet for each and paved spaces uncovered for approximately 12 more.
Storage Plant.—A petrol storage plant was installed in January, 1915, at a cost of £91 and saves
about £86 per annum on present consumption, being the difference between the cost of bulk petrol and
petrol in 2 gallon tins. The school 'buses and the disinfecting van, which ran last year 74,694 miles
consuming 6,585 gallons of petrol, could very well use commercial petrol which is 2d. per gallon cheaper
and would result in a saving of £55 per annum at the present rate of consumption. I am of opinion that
an extra plant, therefore, for commercial spirit should be installed. The approximate cost of such a
plant at present day rates would be £103, plus builders' work.
Workshop Plant.—This is in good order and effects a great saving both in motor and hospital
repairs. Certain additions are required to this plant, for example, apparatus for brake testing and
welding. It would not be necessary to get these appliances for the Ambulance Station only but they
would be used at the central workshop which the Council have under consideration. A tyre press,
however, is desirable for the removal of the tyres; without this apparatus it is rather a heavy business
for the men. The approximate cost of this tyre press is £15.
Cost.—The analytical table of costs prepared by the Finance Department is appended.