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Arrangements are also made for patients undertaking lengthy Journeys to be
conveyed by train in those cases where such a procedure is in the interests of the
patient and is also more economical than the provision of an ambulance for the whole
journey. During the past year, arrangements were made for four patients to travel
by rail; the total distance involved was 708 miles and the cost (including payment
of the escorts return fares) was £14.15.0. - an average of 5d. per patient mile.
In this connection special arrangements and facilities for such cases are offered by
British Railways, and in one region, special types of stretchers are made available
for the transport of recumbent persons by rail.
The following charts illustrate the work carried out by the service during the
past year, and show that while there has been an increase, this increase is not so
great as in previous years.
It should be borne in mind that the present divided control of the service
imposes severe limitations on co-ordination of the work of ambulances and ambulance
care, which still tend to work as virtually independent services. Within these
limitations, efficiency is of a reasonably high order.
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