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GENERAL
AMBULANCE FACILITIES. Two of the three ambulances
owned by the Health Committee, and provided for accidents,
maternity patients and cases of serious illness, are housed,
driven, and supplied with petrol and oil, by a Contractor in the
Borough. These vehicles made 3,796 journeys during the year,
including 30 journeys for the East Ham Council.
Reciprocal arrangements are in force between West Ham
and East Ham for the use of their respective ambulances, on
call, in cases of emergency. Arrangements also exist with the
London County Council for West Ham ambulances to remove
all emergency cases from the part of the Borough of Woolwich,
north of the Thames; these arrangements are a continuance of
a scheme which operated during the war period. During the
year the East Ham Ambulance was requisitioned by West Ham
on 34 occasions, and West Ham ambulance for East Ham cases
on 30 occasions. Thirty calls were dealt with for cases from the
North Woolwich area.
The present general ambulance service has been in operation
for many years, and the citizens are now fully conversant with
the rules and regulations of the Council's Scheme.
The Highways Committee of the Council has an ambulance
stationed at Silvertown. This vehicle is used mainly for accidents
occurring in factories in the Silvertown District, and certain
factory owners contribute towards the cost of this service.
During the year 143 journeys were made by this ambulance.
A car, which is stationed at the Council's Transport
Department, is used for sitting cases, who, in the opinion of
the doctor in attendance, do not require an ambulance. This
service has proved very useful and has lightened to some extent
the use of the two ambulances. The car made 167 journeys
during the year.
The service as a whole has, during the year, worked very
satisfactorily, and is quite adequate for the district. No complaints
were received of late arrival, or of any other matter in
connection with the Council's Ambulance Scheme.
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