[Report 1964] / Medical Officer of Health, Middlesex County Council.

  • Middlesex (England). County Council. n 99020326.
Date:
1964
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1964] / Medical Officer of Health, Middlesex County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Vehicle Replacement Programme.—During the year, delivery was taken of 22 ambulances from contracts placed in 1963. The contracts entered into for new vehicles during 1964 involved a major change in County Council policy, following a recommendation of the Greater London Council Joint Committee that, having regard to the approaching reorganisation of London local government and the fact that the vehicles of the London County Council’s ambulance service are petrol driven, consideration should be given to purchasing similar vehicles. In the light of this recommendation and with a view to assisting in the ultimate standardisation of vehicles in the new Greater London Council ambulance service, the County Council agreed to place orders with the London County Council for 10 ambulances and 10 sitting case vehicles of the type utilised by that authority. A separate order was placed for two petrol- driven 14-seater coaches, following the submission of tenders. By the end of the year, the 10 sitting case vehicles had been taken into service, and delivery of the ambulances is anticipated early in the new year. The contract for the coaches requires their delivery prior to 31st March, 1965. Transport of Patients by Rail.—During the year, the number of patients conveyed under ambulance conditions by railway was 710, compared with 679 during the previous year. It is a pleasure to report that the service again received the full co-operation of the railway authorities, in effecting these removals. Ambulance Service Efficiency Competitions.—The County Council again entered a team for the National Competition for Ambulance Services, organised by the National Association of Ambulance Officers. It is a pleasure to record that this team succeeded in winning the Wadham trophy in the regional round of the competition and were also successful in the national finals in competition with the finalists from six other regions. Five trophies are awarded for the national finals of this competition, viz.:—- Overall winners Runners-up Team test Highest score attendant Highest score driver Pye rose bowl Middlesex shield Pearson cup Naldrett cup Association cup The Middlesex team were awarded the Pye rose bowl, the Pearson cup, the test for which entailed a very difficult accident removal, and the Naldrett cup, which was won by D/A Miss G. Tutty. Shift Leader P. Holmes, the second member of the crew, was awarded only one point less than the driver who won the Association cup. The ambulance service has an excellent record in this competition, having participated on five occasions, prior to 1964, reaching the national final in 1959 (placed fourth) and 1962 (placed second). It is most gratifying that the service should have won the competition outright, on the last occasion upon which it was eligible to enter. Safe Driving Awards.—Once again, all personnel were entered for the safe driving competition of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, with