Big medical team ready for Games

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33434, 16 January 1974, Page 3

Big medical team ready for Games

One hundred doctors would be on duty during the Commonwealth Games to provide medical attention for competitors, officials, and the public, the chairman of the Games medical committee (Dr K. E. Ussher) said vesterday .

Eighty of the doctors I would be from Christchurch and surrounding districts, said Dr Ussher. There would also be 27 nurses, 30 physiotherapists, five chiropodists, a number of hygiene inspectors. and about 400 St John Ambulance Brigade members. Sub-committees have been set up to cover particular matters such as the village medical services, hygiene, medical supporting services, drug tests, sex tests, medical research, medical consultant services, and nursing services. Dr Ussher said the medical committee was responsible for providing free medi-

cal. paramedical, and dental : cover for all competitors and j officials until February 4, and for providing immediate skilled attention at all venues for casualties among participants and the public. | It was also required to provide mobile facilities at the three road events (marathon, walk and cycling) and the international medical requirements for the marathon, boxing, and wrestling. It has had to provide and finance arrangements for drug and sex tests which will be under the control of the British Commonwealth Games Federation Medical Commission. The village medical centre is in the new premises built on to the Student Union building at Ham for the student health and counselling service (of which Dr Ussher is medical director). As well as the normal treatment and consulting rooms, the centre has a physiotherapy department with eight couches, and two twobed wards to accommodate patients up to 24 hours. The nursing services subcommittee will provide the nursing staff for the village medical centre, and the St John Ambulance Brigade will provide nursing staff at the various medical centres where events are being held. The Government has approved free hospital and pharmaceutical benefits for all competitors and officials. The Christchurch Hospital will provide X-ray facilities and dental treatment, as well as any necessary laboratory investigations or patient treatment. A Wellington laboratory will make the drug tests, for which trial runs were held during recent national championships. Sex tests, which involve the examination of a hair follicle from the head, will be done in a private Christchurch laboratory. All women (except those in shooting events) will have to undergo the test’'unless they have an approved certificate. At the Queen Elizabeth II Park a medical centre has been built for competitors and officials. Another centre is next to it for spectators. The centres are under the main stand, and competitors will have access from the track and field and the swimming pools. There will also be two St John Ambulance caravans on the opposite side of the stadium, behind the tempor-

ary seating, to give additional first-aid facilities for the public. During the Games there will be a special operations room in the St John Ambulance headquarters in Peterborough Street to deal solely with calls to Games events. The permanent operations room will continue to handle routine work.

Five ambulances, eachl with a driver and a nursing orderly, will be lent by the Army to the St John Ambulance Association. Two will be stationed at Queen Elizabeth II Park, but during the cycling road race four will be stationed at various parts of the route.