Transmed brings back its first sick TI R driver
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by Eric Gibbins TRANSMED, the get-you-home medical insurance scheme for international transport drivers announced earlier this year, has had its first test — and has passed with flying colours. This is the view of the transport company involved, Traders Continental of Surbiton, Surrey, which, strangely enough, was the first company to join the scheme.
The Traders Continental vehicle, an Albion boxvan, left England on June 15 loaded with goods for a ballet company performing in Wetzlar in Western Germany. There, in the course of unloading, the driver, Mr Ken Gough, caught his leg on a projecting piece of metal. The resultant injury did not prevent him driving on to Nice in France where the ballet had its next date.
The condition of his leg deteriorated steadily, however, and it had become very swollen and inflamed by the time he decided to call for help. He did so on his way back from Nice to Auxerre in France on Saturday June 24 at 5.30 pm. His office immediately contacted Transmed's office at Croydon with details and at 5.45 pm Transmed phoned to say that an ambulance was on its way with a doctor from The Oaks, Pound Farm Lane, Ash, near Aldershot, to Auxerre to pick up Mr Gough. Because it was the first claim on Transmed, Mr S. D. Shepherd, a director of TransCare, also accompanied the ambulance.
Relief driver At the same time, arrangements were put in hand for a relief driver from Traders Continental to be sent by air to Orly Airport where a Hertz car was laid on to get him to Auxerre.
Arrangements were made for Mr Gough's admittance to the nearest hospital to his home, St Peter's Hospital, Chertsey.
The ambulance picked up Mr Gough on Sunday at around 11 am and the ambulance started back to arrive at St Peter's Hospital at 10 am on Monday June 26. He did not require surgery and after successful treatment he was discharged the following Saturday.
The scheme is called Transporters Medical Service. Transmed is the shortened form of the scheme's full title. It has been devised by a firm of insurance brokers, Garland Goss and Co Ltd, Insurance House, 226 Tolworth Rise South, Tolworth, Surrey, along with Trans-Care Ltd, Rothschild House, Whitgift Centre, Croydon, specially for international transport drivers. Transmed is based at the same address as Garland Goss.
Transmed has pointed that, before this scheme was implemented, there were few facilities for a driver or mate involved in a serious accident when on the Continent. In most cases, they point out the driver is taken to the nearest hospital and, when he recovers, the employer is faced with heavy medical expenses.
As demonstrated by the first instance of its use with Traders Continental, not only does it cover payment of all medical expenses arising from an accident or illness of either a driver or mate to a total of £500 each, but it is also designed to cover the cost of payment of up to £1000 for the charter of an air ambulance or use of air transport including qualified attendants provided a doctor certifies that repatriation is necessary for treatment. The cover also includes payment of single fare air transport for a replacement driver to travel to the vehicle. This part of the scheme is insured at Lloyd's. The scheme combines these facilities with those of Trans-Care which is a specialist company formed by medical insurance and transport interests for the purpose of repatriating sick or injured persons on a worldwide basis.
Trans-Care has appointed agents and doctors throughout the world and its medical personnel, doctors and nurses, it says, are fully trained in evacuation procedure. Because of its experience it can, it is claimed, select the best method of transportation and ensure correct medical care in transit.
This company has a fleet of Pontiac ambulances based at Ash, near Aldershot, capable of high-speed running over long distances. Equipment available includes respiratory and cardiac aids, anaesthetics and resuscitation equipment. The company has, moreover, a 24-hour scheduled air ticket reservations service and an executive jet availability throughout the world. Trans-Care Communications, telephone and telex, are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Transmed points out that if a driver is injured or falls ill on the Continent and reports to a local hospital where he is admitted immediately for treatment and a minor operation has to be carried out, a telephone call or telex can be made direct to the offices of Trans-Care at Croydon to advise the company of the position. Immediately this happens, arrangements are made for the employer to be notified and for a replacement driver (and the airline ticket to be obtained so that the vehicle ca continue to its destination.
Doctors on call to Trans-Care then vis the hospital and discuss the case with ti hospital doctors. If the patient is capable being moved they will settle the hospit account and also make arrangements ft the return to Great Britain of the persoi either by road ambulance, air ambulance standard air transport. The patient is take to hospital near his home whet arrangements will already have been mac for his admission.
Overcoming language problems To overcome language problems, or i case a driver is so badly injured that t cannot talk to his rescuers, window stickei are available for trucks . printed in languages with telephone and telex numbei on them so that any lodal official at if scene of the accident has an immedial contact point.
As stated in CM'S insurance column o July 21 the cost of the scheme is based o the number of vehicles in an employer' international fleet and, the basic cover c £500 per person costs £24 a year for eac vehicle. Besides this, the cover embrace authorized passengers, including mate: Cover can be increased to £1000 if desire and the cost is then £29 a year each vehicle The scheme covers all of Europ including Czechoslovakia, East German) Greece, Hungary, Poland, Rumania Turkey and Yugoslavia. North Africa i also included though for the time bein, Russia is not included without specia arrangements being made.
Advantages claimed for the scheme ar that it is a considerable aid to drive recruitment. A driver knows that in th. event of injury in Europe he can be returne( to Britain to be cared for in a Britisl hospital where he can be visited by friend and relatives. Probably, however, thy biggest advantage to the employer is that considerable worry is taken from hi shoulders because he knows that, thougt this type of incident does not occu. frequently, when it does happen the positiot can be extremely complicated.
One of the latest moves under the schenu is to make it available to individuals (witl adjustment of cover to take account of suet aspects as replacement drivers) at a cost o: 15 per person per year for £500 cover anc £20 for f1000 cover.