HOSPITAL PLAN

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 8, 10 January 1942, Page 8

HOSPITAL PLAN

EMERGENCY ACTION

DEALING WITH CASUALTIES

Flans for the evacuation of Wellington Hospital in the event of emergency have been prepared and practised by the medical section of the E.P.S., though a large number : of casualties could be dealt with i by the hospital before evacuation j need be carried out. Patients in all the wards of the hospital, says Dr. J. O. Mercer, deputy superintendent of the hospital, are grouped into four sections as follows;— (1) Those well enough to walk out and possibly find their own way home; (2) those who could walk out of the ward, but required transport to their homes by private-car, taxi, or ambulance; (3) those who would have to be evacuated as stretcher cases by ambulance either to their homes or to emergency hospitals; and (4) those whose condition was such that it would be prejudiced if they were moved. As soon as an emergency arose, the sister in charge of each ward.would only have to consult her list to know what transport she would require. To avoid confusion, each group would assemble at a different point in the hospital. The stretcher-bearers would be men trained by the St. John Ambulance Association who, when the need arose, would take the patients to be evacuated to prearranged positions, where the necessary transport would be in readiness. To conserve man-power members of this unit would also be members of the Voluntary Blood Transfusion Service. If it became necessary to clear the hospital wards for casualties, another special squad with transport would.be available to take patients to the emergency hospitals. Thus, in a very short time, a large number of beds would be available. The wards to be used in the event of emergency had been decided on and a number of practice evacuations held. These had been carried out under conditions approximating as nearly as possible to an emergency. SATISFACTORY RESULTS. "We have found these practice evacuations most satisfactory and very helpful in training staff," said Dr. Mercer. "The layout of the Wellington Hospital is such that it has very considerable space for manoeuvring large numbers of cars such as would be required in receiving and evacuating any large number, of patients." The basis of discharge of patients from the hospitals is laid down by the Health Department as follows:—"If it should become necessary to discharge existing patients in order to make room for other patients arising out of enemy action, earthquake, •or epidemic, patients should be sent home not on a peacetime standard of fitness for discharge, but on the basis that only those should be retained for whom institutional treatment is essential." On the question of admissions, Dr. Mercer said that the Wellington Hospital contained a large outpatient department close to the main entrance and there was a large waiting hall. In an emergency special staff, including surgeons, would immediately take over the casualty and outpatient departments. This would constitute a classification centre from which patients would be sent to their own homes, or to whatever part of the hospital was considered necessary. As soon as an emergency developed, five complete surgical teams with all equipment and accessory staff would be immediately available. In addition, the fullest use would be made of surgical facilities in private hospitals under the scheme. controlled by Dr. T. G. Gray, in which the private hospitals are to be used as advance dressingstations. SCHEME PROVED EFFECTIVE. Where people were retained in hospital only for a short period for rest and observation, speciaj. transport facilities were available to take them to their own homes. It was expected that the advance dressing stations would act as a filter and ease the early strain on the general hospital.

"We feel," added Dr. Mercer, "that any complicated scheme within the hospital itself would tend to break down, and in our view it would be best to admit casualties by a process which would be as far as possible an expansion of our normal routine. Every part has been tried out and put into practice, so that nobody connected with the hospital wil be performing a duty which he or she has not done before. M c shall be putting into practice a scheme that has already proved effective in operation."