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Number of Passengers Isolated
1971 92
1970 137
1969 88
1968 46
1967 20
Vaccinations against Yellow Fever
1971 225
1970 131
1969 103
1968 73
1967 47
STATISTICS
Total number of Aircraft issued with Disinsectization Certificates
572
No. of cases for which Mental Welfare Officer was called
34
No. of Aliens inspected under Aliens Order
9,432
No. of Forms Port 12 issued
103
No. of Aliens refused entry
73
No. of Commonwealth Immigrants examined
39,961
No. of Forms Port 23 issued
62
No. of Commonwealth Immigrants refused entry
12
No. of Immigrants X-rayed
9,383
No. of Long-Stay Immigrants Notifications sent to Medical Officers of Health
29,202
No. of Conditional Landing Forms sent to Medical Officers of Health
180
No. of Surveillance Notifications sent to Medical Officers of Health
7,531
No. of Smallpox Vaccinations carried out
6,413
No. of Cholera Vaccinations carried out
2,008
No. of Yellow Fever Vaccinations carried out
225
No. of Unvaccinated Passengers Isolated
92
OPERATIONAL RESEARCH STUDY
Professor K. B. Haley of the Department of Engineering Production at Birmingham University
was commissioned to undertake an operational research study at the health control unit, and the
detailed investigations were conducted from July to September, 1971. I am grateful to Miss
Susan Blessed, one of the members of the research team based at the airport during this period
for the following report:
An Operational Research team from the University of Birmingham was requested to undertake
a three-month study to investigate the optimum number of clerk/receptionists necessary, and to
examine the methods of work in the health control unit at London (Heathrow) Airport. It was
foreseen by members of the unit that additional receptionists would be required to cope with the
work generated by the proposed increase in Boeing "747" aircraft (jumbo-jets) requiring health
control. In 1971 there were almost 200 plane arrivals per week whose passengers were subject to
control by the unit, and 4 of these were jumbo-jets. However, in 1972/3 there are expected to be
300 arrivals per week, 48 of which will be jumbos.
The early stages of the study entailed close observation of the existing system and discussions
with members of the health department, in order that the problem area could be identified. It soon
became evident that the uncertainty of aircraft arrivals caused difficulties in the unit and resulted
in slack and busy periods. Since little could be done to even out the work-load throughout the
day and night it was decided, as an alternative, that if a twenty-four hour shift system could be
designed to cater for these extremes, the work-load would at least be handled more easily.
To develop this it was necessary to obtain additional information from other organisations
at the airport, in particular the airlines themselves. Consultation with British Airports Authority
and careful examination of past records revealed that the aircraft stands (disembarkation points)
most frequently used were those closest to the health control unit itself. However, since some of
the stands are situated at least fifteen minutes' walking time from the unit, enquiries had to be
made regarding the length of time airline staff would hold passengers on an aircraft before releasing
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