Metropolitan Asylums Board.
Page 4
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Reorganisation due to Introduction of Motor Ambulances and Omnibuses.
.kt the meeting of the Metropolitan Asylums Board on Saturday the ambulance committee presented the following report and recommendations i
(t) Sale of ambulance.—We have to report that we have sold No..8 brougham ambulance from the Brook Ambulance station ; to the Waltham Joint Hospital Board for the sum of £60. (2) General use-of motor-propelled ambulances and omnibuses : for the transport of patients—Probable developments and con-,sequent alterations in ambulance station orgamsation.—Our exnierience in the use of the second-hand Clarkson steam motor omnibus, purchased from the London Road Car Company (Board Minutes, August 5th, 19051, and of the small steam omnibus hired from Messrs. Clarkson (Board Minutes, October 14th, 1905), has confirmed us in the opinion expressed in our report to the Board on February 4th, 1905, as to the suitability of motor traction for the purposes of the Board's Ambulance Service. Thepatients are in the vehicles much shorter times, and consequently suffer far less fatigue than in horse-drawn vehicles, and as much more work can he performed in a day by motors than by horses, we believe that the general adoption of motor traction will result in considerable economy.
We consider that the present will be a convenient time to make some forecast as to the probable alterations which the introduction of motor traction will effect in the organisation of an ambulance station.
Equipment of station.—No great economy can he shown until one station is completely cleared of horses, and naturally the smallest station would be chosen for a commencement. The South-Western Station fulfils this condition, in addition to possessing other advantages. It is from this station that we have been running the two motor omnibuses. A motor pit (for ex. amining and repairing the motors) has been constructed, and the provision of a motor workshop and necessary tools will crnnpleie the equipment of the station. The shop we propose to provide by partitioning off for the purpose a couple of bays of the coach-house and fitting windows in front, at a cost of about £6. We regard the provision of a proper equipment of tools as essential, not only for executing emergent repairs, but also for developing an acquaintance and handiness with tools amongst the drivers. The cost of the tools may be roughly estimated at from £60 to I:100. None of the tools required are special ones, and could afterwards be transferred, should occasion arise, to other stations or to other institutions of the Board.
We recommend— (A 1—That the provision of a motor workshop at the SouthWestern Ambulance Station, as proposed in the ambulance committee's report, be approved, and reported to the Local Government Board.
Motor vehicles.—The Board now possess one motor omnibus, another is in course of construction, and the motor ambulance is just making its final trials before being handed over to the Board by the contractors. If another omnibus be ordered, making a total of three motor omnibuses, and two more ambulances, making a total of three motor ambulances, the work of the South-Western Ambulance Station could probably be performed entirely by motors in normal seasons, provided the SouthEastern Ambulance Station is re-opened. These numbers, of course, do not provide for any spare vehicles. We hope to submit recommendations in regard to obtaining the required vehicles at an early date.
Staff.—Up to the present time, when the superintendent of an ambulance station has been absent on leave or ill, the house.
keeper (who is the superintendent's wife) has taken charge of the station, and under her instructions the clerk and store keeper has given all necessary orders to the male staff and super. vised the stable and yard work. The horses are hired, and if
one becomes unfit for work the contractor is required to replace it by another horse. A defective motor cannot be so replaced. Upon the adoption of motor traction it becomes necessary to have constantly on the premises a person in authority who has a thorough knowledge of the machinery and other parts of the cars, and who can give directions for, and supervise the execution of all repairs and other work necessary to keep them in running order.
The present superintendent of the South-Western Station is so qualified, and under him several coachmen have already been trained as motor drivers, and gradually other men will be trained for other ambulance stations. Distinct advantages to the service are obta;aed by training men already in it who show
an aptitude for the new work. The Board %sill be relieved of the unpleasant duty of discharging old ss.rvants, and will secure the services of then who can onve boto lenses and motorcars, know Limden districts intimately, and are thoroughly experienced in the work of removing s_ck persons. But e nen the present superintendent is absent from duty there is no mac at the . station who can take his place. This is a grave detect in orgamsation which must be remedied at the eardest possible moment.
NVe, however, are anxious not to add to the staff at the statiou, and would prefer to see it arranged that the person who should take the superint.endent's place in his absence should combine tne duties ( maimed above with those now performed by the clerk and storekeeper. We understand that there would be no difficulty in securing the services of a person capable of efficiently performing all the duties referred to. As long as the person appointed is capable of exercising a general control and supervision it is not anticipated, when the system is got into thorough working order, that the actual duties in connection with the cars will take up any considerable portion of his time. He would probably require a higher rate of pay than is provided in the wages scale for the office of clerk and storekeeper, and in our opinion his title should be '' Foreman and Storekeeper.'
We recommend—
(Br -That, as a tentative arrangement at the South-Western Ambulance Station only, the managers be recommended to authorise the ambulance committee to employ a foreman and storekeeper, who shall be a thoroughly qualified motor mechanic and driver, at wages of 30s, per week, with board, lodging, washing and uniform.
The maximum wages of the present clerk and storekeeper are 26s. per week with similar emoluments, so that the proposed alteration will involve an additional expenditure of 4s. per N‘eek only.
(3) South-Eastern Ambulance Station. -We are making the necessary arrangements for re-opening this station when the adjoining hospital is again ready for the reception of patients, which we understand it may be in the spring of next year. We have not yet decided whether to fill the posts of superintendent and housekeeper by new appointments or by the transfer of officers occupying similar positions at another station. But, as in either event it will be necessary to engage another supetintendent and housekeeper, we intend to secure the services of a superintendent who has a practical knowledge of motor construction, repairing and driving, and to give preference to a candidate who possesses in additicn a knowledge of stable management.
)4) Motor omnibus No. 1.—At our meeting on December 13th we were informed that the boiler of this motor had been scorched and become unserviceable. The vehicle being urgently required for the transport of recovered patients from Gore Farm Hospital (its absence causes the employment of two omnibuses, six horses, two nurses, and four men, instead of the motor omnibus, two men and one nurse), we ordered the makers, Messrs. Clarkson, Limited, to replace the old boiler by a steam generator of their new automatic water-tube type, and to make all necessary and consequential alterations to piping, etc., so as to bring the motor up-to-date, for the sum of £110. We un derstand that the construction of the new boiler is such that it is practically impossible for it to be rendered unserviceable by scorching.
In taking this action we acted on the advice of Colonel Crompton, but we have thereby transgressed the Board's standing order No. 95, and Article 17 of the Poor Law Board's order, dated June 18th, 1867.
We recommend (C)—That the action taken by the ambulance committee, in the matter of the repair of motor omnibus No. 1, as now reported, be approved and confirmed and reported to the Local Government Board.
Recommendations A and B were adopted.
With regard to recommendation C, some friction arose owing to the chairman's refusing to allow, on a point of order, questions to be put. Members then stated that, as on a purely technical point they had been debarred from obtaining information, they would vote against the recommendation. Recommendation C was then put and negatived.
The members did not show any hostility towards the action of the committee with regard to motors, but voted against recommendation C as a protest against the chairman's ruling.