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Work in the Ambulance Service has crystallised along two well defined lines.
1. An emergency service for the transport of acutely sick and accident cases to hospital, and
2. A "taxi" service for the attendance at hospital for treatment of a wide variety of conditions,
and inter-hospital transfer.
The transport involved in group 2 makes such extensive demands on the ambulance service, that
great difficulty is experienced at certain times of the day (and particularly certain days of the
week) to ensure a "manned" vehicle is available always to answer an emergency call.
It is true that "mutual support" arrangements exist with West Ham and Essex, but the Ambulance
Services of both these authorities are often in a similar predicament when we call on their aid. It
is probable an additional ambulance and crew would prove the most satisfactory solution to this
problem.
Constant vigilance is essential also to ensure abuse of this hospital taxi' service does not
arise. It is observed that a number of persons who are transported to hospital for various types of
treatment, are well able to use public transport for personal pleasure and shopping.
The hospital staffs and the general practitioner are exhorted to assist us to obviate such
misuse of an expensive ambulance service, by more careful assessment of the true capabilities and
real needs of their patients before asking for this "priority" service.
Nevertheless, high praise is due to Miss Finch, the Officer-in-Charge and all her staff for
their devotion to a most exacting task in maintaining an efficient round the clock service to the
people in East Ham.