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22 Statistics, Infectious Diseases, Health Control Unit London (Heathrow) Airport
The introduction of the "747" and its large passenger-carrying load has turned the attention of
the various authorities to the problem of the treatment and disposal of casualties in the event of a
major accident and to this end, several working parties have been set up to consider what improvements
can be made to the existing emergency services. These working parties meet at regular intervals.
Staff
The establishment of medical officers remained at nine throughout the year.
The establishment of receptionists at 31 December 1969 was sixty-five, and late in the year
authority was requested to increase the establishment in 1970 by an additional twenty-eight receptionists,
so that the new "747" Pier No. 7 could be adequately staffed when it came into operation.
Unfortunately the rate of recruitment is very slow so that there may be difficulty in carrying out the
obligations imposed upon the staff under the Administrative Arrangements drawn up by the Council
of Europe. It might be necessary, in order to ease the situation, that agreement of the member countries
of the Council of Europe (Partial Agreement) should be anticipated in waiving health control of
flights arriving from such areas as the West Indies, Mexico and Central America, Guyana, the North
African countries (excepting Egypt), Israel and Japan. This reduction in the number of flights subject
to control would then be quite considerable.
Accommodation
Terminal 1
This building is used by B.E.A., Aer Lingus, B.K.S., Cambrian and British airlines other than
B.O.A.C. It started operating domestic flights in October 1968, but it was not until the whole terminal
had been completed early in 1969 that it became operational for international flights. Her Majesty
the Queen formally opened the terminal on April 17th.
The Health Control Unit's accommodation in this terminal is capacious and comfortable for the
volume of work required. In normal circumstances, not more than one or two flights per day are
subject to health control and these are cleared on the "fingers" of Pier 3, or, if the aircraft is out on
the field then the passengers are taken by coach for clearance on the Queen's Building gallery.
By comparison with Terminals 2 and 3, the accommodation used by both medical officers and
receptionists in this terminal is high-class indeed.
Terminal 2
This terminal is now used only by the airlines of continental countries and the flights arriving
here subject to health control are, like those in Terminal 1, very few and are cleared at the check
point on the Queen's Building gallery.
The Unit's main accommodation in the terminal underwent slight re-organisation during the
year, certain rooms being exchanged by arrangement with the British Airports Authority.
Terminal 3
During the year, agreement was eventually reached between the British Airports Authority and
the Borough of Hillingdon on such questions as rental for the accommodation used by the Health
Control Unit and licensing for the desks used on Piers 5 and 6 and in the coach station.
After considerable trouble, the British Airports Authority finally produced a satisfactory type
of desk, equipped with knee heater and lighting, for use on the Piers, and towards the end of the year,
installation of these desks began at each "finger" (Plate 1).
It is hoped that sufficient staff will be forthcoming to start flight clearance on Pier 6 by March
1970 and thereafter, as the staff situation permits, to extend flight clearance to Pier 5 and the North
Coach Station and eventually to Pier 7—the new "747" Pier which is due to be completed by April 1st,
but which will also be used by conventional aircraft, i.e. "707s", D.C.8s, etc.
The long awaited "temporary" extensions to the accommodation in this terminal finally came
about in July, but by the end of the year, the furniture and equipment for this extra accommodation
was still outstanding. In spite of this, staff were able to take over occupation of the rooms and with
a new general office, a new staff room, a Radiographer's office and an immunisation room, relief was
provided for the congested conditions under which the staff had previously to operate.