XN000022-1974-08-14 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1974

MODERNISATION OF AMBULANCE SERVICE URGED

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THE AMBULANCE SERVICE SHOULD BE MODERNISED AS A MATTER OF URGENCY WITH UP-TO-DATE ORGANISATION AND EQUIPMENT, THE HON. ROGER LOBO SAID TODAY.

+WE HOPE THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO STATION IN EACH AMBULANCE PARA-MEDICAL STAFF WITH A HIGHER DEGREE OF MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE THAN EXISTING CREWS AND TO INTRODUCE A SYSTEM OF SHORT-WAVE TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE AMBULANCES AND REGIONAL HOSPITALS SO THAT CASUALTIES COULD BE BETTER ATTENDED TO EN ROUTE UNDER EXPERT INSTRUCTION,+ HE SAID DURING THE DEBATE ON THE MEDICAL WHITE PAPER.

THIS, HE ADDED, WOULD ENABLE THE RECEIVING CENTRES TO BE MADE AWARE IN ADVANCE OF THE DETAILS OF INCOMING CASES, AND FACILITATE PREPARATIONS FOR THE IR RECEPTION AND FOR NECESSARY EMERGENCY ACTION.

MR. LOBO TOLD COUNCIL HE WAS NOT CRITICISING THE GOOD WORK OF PRESENT AMBULANCE CREWS.

ONE MUST

+HOWEVER, SINCE THERE ARE NOW OVER 125,000 PATIENTS CARRIED EACH YEAR -- ABOUT ONE EVERY FOUR MINUTES CERTAINLY SEE THAT THERE IS JUSTIFICATION FOR IMPROVING IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE THE STANDARDS OF A SERVICE WHICH IS VITAL AND WHICH. IS INDEED A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.+

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MR. LOBO SAID HE AND HIS UNOFFICIAL COLLEAGUES IN PRINCIPLE ACCEPTED THE WHITE PAPER ON FURTHER MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT AND WELCOMED THE MAJOR STEPS FORWARD PROVIDED IN IT. ALSO WELCOMED THE ASSURANCE THAT THE WHITE PAPER WOULD BE SUBJECT TO ANNUAL REVIEW IN THE LIGHT OF CHANGING NEEDS AND CIRCUMSTANCES.

THE UNOFFICIALS, HE SAID, APPRECIATED THAT THE FINANCIAL İNPLICATION WAS THE PRIMARY FACTOR GOVERNING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS MASSIVE PROGRAMME.

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HE POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT WHILE IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE ALL OUR NEEDS AT ONCE, THE QUESTION COULD NOT ONLY BE LOOKED AT IN TERMS OF COST TODAY'S PRICES AT $690 MILLION CAPITAL EXPEND JURE AND $800 MILLION RECURRENT EXPENDITURE FOR PHASE ONE.

+WHAT IS PROPOSED IN THE WHITE PAPER IS A MAJOR ADVANCE, AND THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT THE MONEY MUST BE FOUND FOR IT, HE STRESSED.

IN PASSING, MR. LOBO PAID WARM TRIBUTE TO THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR ITS ACHIEVEMENTS DESPITE HEAVY ODDS. IN PARTICULAR, THE DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL IN ERADICATING TUBERCULOSIS AND IN MAINTAINING A HICH DEGREE OF FREEDOM FROM COMMUNICABLE DISEASES.

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