EMERGENCY CALL

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30121, 3 May 1963, Page 10

EMERGENCY CALL

“No Delay At Exchange”

(From Our Own Reporter) WESTPORT, May 2.

The discussion at the meeting of the Buller Hospital Board on Tuesday on the 111 emergency service at Waimangaroa was misleading, said the Chief Postmaster at Westport (Mr W. Davey) today. There should have been no complaint about the service which operated efficiently and covered fire, police and ambulance calls for Waimangaroa and Denniston.

He was referring to a discussion on the lateness of an answer for medical assistance for a fatal illness case at Waimangaroa, in which there was some confusion about the emergencies covered by 11l calls from that office. What the Buller Hospital Board apparently intend to convey was that the Denniston ambulance and doctor be called before the Buller Hospital was contacted Mt Davey said. In this particular case, the exchange attendant who received the 111 call for a doctor rang the Denniston doctor’s residence (which is also the ambulance telephone number) and the doctor’s surgery at Denniston, but could not raise either number. She then rang a residence where the doctor might have been located, again without success This latter call was made and the calling person connected with the Buller Hospital sirnutaneously. There was no delay at the exchange. “The position could be overcome if the medical practitioners in the Waimangaroa area would advise the Buller Hospital where they could be found if they are leaving lr iu resid ence or area, out that is a matter for the service authorities concerned 1 am having further discussions with the managingseyretary of the Buller Hol- ™ \£° ard L Mr C G Schurr) Davey* SUbject -” said Mr