[Report 1945] / Medical Officer of Health, West Riding of Yorkshire County Council.

  • West Riding of Yorkshire (England). County Council
Date:
1945
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1945] / Medical Officer of Health, West Riding of Yorkshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    103/108 (page 99)
    the best types oT Civil D'-'ten.ee /Ujlularicos were taken over for the County ijibulsnce Schenc, it vins found, tint they were not standing up to the continuous work and increasod raileaye v/hicli they have been reopiired to carry out since the cornnicncencnt of the service. The strain brour,ht out the poor meciiojiicai condition of the vehicles, and their inkere-it defects duo to the conversion of a motor chassis into emerycncy o-ribulences with consequent discomfort to patients. On an average, four vehicles a day \vc:eG off the road tliroepyh mechanical defeots, creating aclmini strativG difficulties and placing a yreater strain oji the remaining;:; vehicles already -workiny to full capacit.y, ourveyor reported that the heavy cost of maintenance and idle Count was due to (i) Age of VO hicle s. (ii) The exceptionally long journeys up to 200 miles. (iii) The overloading of the chassis by a heavy body and undertyres. (iv) Carrying of heavier loads bcyorivl the aesigned cOSDcucity of the onaSSIs O « In view of the foregoing, the County Council approved the purchase of eight new ambulances at an estimiiated cost of AG, 000, but as there v/ould be considerable deleiy in the production said delivery of these ve.hicles, o. further order was placed for eight ambulances and six sitting cusc co.rs, whilst a further provisional order lias hecn made for a further .16 ojubulances. the whole nurnbe.r of VChi du ring 19 4 6-4 7. sr has hecn made for a further .16 oj:ubulG.nces, the wl vehicles, ruudely ;.)2 ambulances and 6 cars, to be. in coimmission in the meantime, certain altercations to the interior fit.n.cnts of the sraall 12 h.j). xienault ambula.rces have been made whi ch p ro vi de s in c re a so d c omf o rt in tii e c onve yaii c e of p at i c nt s. At t h e c omirie n c c *' i e n t of the SchojuG a full ambulcmcc service was provided betv/een t.hG Jiours of 7.0 a.m, find 11,0 p.m. \/ith provision for dealing with, emergency calls during the night but consequent upon tlic inc.rcasiiig demand for the use of ambulances especially during the night, it v/aS necessary to appoint further staff and establish a shift; systei\ at three Lepots, v/liilst the remainder of the Depots have telephone extensions fixcid in the' - T Dep ot Supe rint enxlenh service in all depots. home, thus giving a complete 24 hour further to tlii rne increasing c0.1 Is made upon cci^tain depot sta.ffs left no provision .fo.r .raanning t.iie tele )honG when all the vehicles wore out, wit.li a .result tlio.t it was necessary to appoint telephonists at fou.^-' depot ilorsforth and Tad caster. namely, Bcntle^, Aawmarsh, The iA'ibulance Service was also made avaiI''.. Ic to local authorities for use i.i.i the case of street accidents, accidents at works, etc. and during the period 1st luly to 31st De ceimbG.r, 1945, 51 journeys were .made o.u belicA.f of locjil authorities, whilst the ‘■■vest Riding Police Hcadquarte2.’s Irive circulated all their Division show'ing the nearest County Jmibulance Depot vdiich erm be called by them in case of accidents ct(;. The 7_rS2ulance Service ]i ■ s made satisfactory progress and filled a real need, p.u;-ticularly liaving re{,a:d to tlie fact thot it had to be established and superimposed on the ezdsting Civil Defence Service at extrcraely shorb notice so as to at least .m.ainta: the ScUic provision for -Ambulances for County omd loc:rl authorities as had existed duriip the w:-.ir It is appreciated thr.t the Service i.n it a present foj.-ii its of a temporary cheracter bp.t with t]ie advent of vehicles and depots of a more pejiraiicnt character tlie milaafg: mid use of the fimbulsaices vd-3.1 be in>;rcascd consj.uerablz'.