History of the Ambulance Service

1982 - 1993

N.H.S. Reorganisation 1982

Ford Transit Ambulance introduction of Blue flashing lights on the front. John Harley and Tom MacFarlane circa 1982

1982 

The Northampton Veteran Ambulance Society was formed in November 1982 in order to buy a Veteran Ambulance with a view to restoring it to its original condition. A suitable vehicle was located through an advertisement. 

Some of the members of the Society visited the town of Wem in Shropshire to inspect the Ambulance, which we subsequently purchased and brought to Northampton on 18th December 1982 .  

The Ambulance we now own is an Austin "Big 6" manufactured in 1938. It has an unladen weight of 1 ton 12cwt and came complete with a number of spares.  The interior bears a plaque saying that it was converted by a company called Thomas Startin Jnr, a firm that is still trading today (1984). It was originally a Rolls Royce works Ambulance at Derby and Crewe and remained there until 1970 when someone working in their drawing office purchased it.  Its last owner had renovated many old vehicles and he drove the Big 6 to Turkey in 1972.

The Ambulance is now completely renovated; we use it to raise funds for its continued preservation and the purchase of specialised equipment for the Ambulance Service and local Hospitals.

The majority of our members are professional Ambulance personnel serving in Northampton, mainly at Mereway Ambulance Station. 

If you feel you would like to know more about or support this Society in any way please contact the Society C/O Mereway Ambulance Station Mereway Northampton.

1985 Ambulance Services Twinning

For many years we have heard of Cities, Towns and Villages twinning with their opposite numbers all over the world.

On the 18th February 1985 the Northamptonshire Ambulance Service made its own piece of history by being the first Ambulance service to twin with a European service.

The twinning was with the G.G. - G.D. Ambulance Service of Amsterdam, who are the Municipal Ambulance Service for the City.

After the twinning an organisation was formed known as The Anglo - Dutch Ambulance Association, with an aim of staff exchange, whereby two or three Dutch colleagues came over each month. Giving them the chance to live and work along side their colleagues in Northamptonshire, this also gave members in the County a chance find out about the Dutch way of life.

On the 18th September 1987 another historical milestone was achieved, the twinning of the Anglo - Dutch Ambulance Association with the DUK Ambulance Service in Karlsruhe which is in the south of Germany . From that day the Association had to change its name to the Star of Life International thereby giving a chance to link up with other Countries.

From these exchange visits any lasting friendships have been born.

Northamptonshire Ambulance circa 1985 Northampton Veteran Ambulance circa 1938 Dutch Ambulance circa 1985

The Ambulance Service in Northamptonshire provides for a rural County with a population of approximately 540,000 covering 585,000 acres. It is a long thin County stretching from Lincolnshire in the north to Oxfordshire in the southwest. The Service is responsible for transporting all patients in medical need to Hospital and in 1984 the Service conveyed a total of 237,834 patients and covered 1,483,404 miles. It is worth remembering that only 13,766 of these patients are actual emergencies and the others are patients being conveyed to Day Hospitals and Outpatient clinics.

The present cost is approximately £2.5 million per year to provide this Service.

Staffing

There is a total of 176 road staff and officers and a further 23 officers and staff in the Headquarters and Training Departments.

Premises 

The Ambulance Service Headquarters and Central Control are situated at 39 Billing Road, Northampton and there are Ambulance Stations at Brackley, Corby, Daventry, Kettering, Mereway, St James, Harborough Road, Northampton, Oundle, Rushden, Towcester and Wellingborough.

Radios

All vehicles are fitted with radio and are centrally controlled via remote radio sites at Potcote, near Towcester and Broughton near Kettering. There are radio links in the two District General Hospitals at Kettering and Northampton , which provides radio facilities for staff, and doctors at the scene of an incident anywhere in the County, to contact any department within Hospital for advice and guidance.

Portable radio equipment is used at the scene of major incidents, high rise block of flats etc. which keeps staff in direct contact with Central Control at all times.

Ambulance vehicles 

There are a total of 75 vehicles in Northamptonshire which comprise 50 front line Accident Ambulances and 45 sitting case type vehicles, 15 of which are fitted with tail-lift to assist patients who are unable to climb steps.

The Service is honoured and proud to possess a complete fleet of Ford Transit vehicles and the staff take good pride in their vehicles. Regular servicing is carried out and is strictly controlled and the number of breakdowns is extremely small.

1985 

Control of the Service 

All requests for Ambulance transport, both Emergency and non-Emergency, are routed to the Central Control room where an experienced Ambulance officer is always on duty. He is able, in addition to despatching the quickest Ambulance, to offer advice on a patient's care until the arrival of the Ambulance. The Control room is responsible for arranging for approximately 1,000 patients per day between Monday and Friday and for the Emergency journeys during the night and weekend periods.

The Control room is now situated at the Ambulance Headquarters in Billing Road Northampton after the previous locations at County Hall and Northampton House. The Service has also developed the most advanced computer systems in the country, pioneered by Mr Eric Porter of Cleric Computer Services Ltd Congleton, Cheshire, for patient scheduling, management information, vehicle maintenance and staffing records etc. and this is being implemented by other Ambulance services in the United Kingdom .

Training 

Before a person is appointed to the Service he/she is required to successfully complete a series of examinations and driving tests.

New entrants to the service are recruited as Day staff to provide care and transport for many of the non-Emergency patients. Their training consists of a three-week induction course where they are taught Emergency aid techniques, First aid etc and are required to successfully complete a two-week driving course in the first year of service.

Millar Trained Ambulance Personnel 

When vacancies occur in the shift rotas it is considered a promotion for a Day worker to become a Fully Qualified Ambulance man/woman. To do this he/she is required to attend a six-week advanced training course, at the Trent Regional Ambulance Training Centre. Markfield is situated on the edge of Charnwood Forest , near Leicester, and again requires he/she must successfully pass a number of examinations at the end of the course.

Refresher Training 

Fully qualified Ambulance personnel are required to attend the Regional Ambulance Training School for two weeks refresher training every five years, in order update and refresh the many skills required of a modern Ambulance person.

Officer Training 

There are many courses that officers attend in Control, management, industrial relations, Health and Safety Work, and many other subjects. Some of these carried out locally; others are carried out at specialist training Centres and universities.

1985 

Looking to the Future 

It is necessary for today's Ambulance Personnel to be highly trained to meet the ever-changing medical scene. 

Medical advances during the last 10 years in the treatment of heart conditions, renal failure and ever-increasing sophistication of drug therapy, the Ambulance person’s task more demanding. In addition to the medical scene, the number of impact road accidents is becoming more horrible particularly on the Ml motorway, requiring not only their Ambulance Aid efficiency but also demands a standard of driving skills.

At the present time the service is looking to an extension of the Ambulance personnel’s training skills and is also considering a review of the Ambulance equipment that is carried.

M TARRY F.A.S.I.
Chief Ambulance Officer

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE AMBULANCE SERVICE
	The figures set out below are the statistics of the Service from January 1984 to December 1984.
	Patients
	Total patients conveyed 237,834
	This figure is broken down by type of patient:
	Emergency patients (999) conveyed 13,766
	Non Emergency patients conveyed 223,504
	Patients conveyed by rail 564
	Mileages
	Total mileage covered 1,483,404
	This figure is broken down by type of mileage:
	Emergency mileage 201,758
	Non Emergency mileage 1,242,925
	Rail journey mileage 38,721
	Total cost of the service at present is £2.5 million per annum

1985	Rank Structure		Front Line Emergency Ambulance (Note the York trolleys, Lairdel aspirator) Entanox, Oxygen Equipment, Short spinal boards were in use.
	Chief Ambulance Officer
	Assistant Ambulance Officer
	Chief Controller
	Control Officer
	Training Officer
	Assistant Controller
	Ambulance Liaison Officer
	Station Officer
	Leading Ambulanceman
	Control Assistant
	Qualified Ambulanceman
	Day Ambulanceman
	Trainee Ambulanceman

1986 -1990

Ford Transit circa 1986	John Sturgess and Control Assistant Headquarters and Control, Billing Road Northampton circa 1986	Bill Yule and Control Assistant (on the Storno radio) Control Room at 39 Billing Road circa 1986

		Some of the first to qualify (l-r) Eric Sears, Dave Terry, Ian Seers, Chris Fawdon, Pete Allen, Andy Westley, with John Drage (centre)

Ford Transit Ambulance 1989 New interior layout Note the style of cases on the right

1990-1991

A Brochure was prepared in 1990 ready for the N.H.S. internal market.		(l) Our advanced training programmes are open to other professionals and members of the public Andy Westley teaching Resuscitation (r) Professional transportation of the elderly and the disabled for the reassurance and peace of mind of relatives and friends
			(l) Our uniquely reliable Communications System helping the professionals keep in touch. Dr Alan Sutton GP Road Accident Scheme (r) Expert application of intravenous fluids, cervical collar and Box leg splint to ensure quality Emergency care (below) Left to right Ian Civil, Jonathen Stevens, and Andy Westley, Assistant Training Manager
		(l) Dave Winchcombe and Jackie Bennett, Dave Winchcombe and Jackie Bennett, using the new Intelligent Terminal Radio System, our Control Room and Communications Officers working 24 hours a day 365 days a year to ensure we respond quickly and correctly to your needs. using the new Intelligent Terminal Radio System, our Control Room and Communications Officers working 24 hours a day 365 days a year to ensure we respond quickly and correctly to your needs.

	This vehicle was a forward Control and Ambulance equipment carrier. The Radio equipment provided a UHF (Silver Control) forward link to Handportable radios and a VHF (Gold Control) rear link to the main Control Centre. The Radio’s can be worked from vehicle Batteries, Mains electric or Portable generator. The spare Ambulance equipment carried was Blankets, Canvass carrying sheets, Dressings, Folding stretchers, Drugs, Protective clothing, and Lantern batteries.
Mobile Incident Support Unit circa 1990		Ford Transit Ambulance circa 1991

Rev Ian Lowell became the first Ambulance Chaplain in Britain and was Commissioned as Chaplain to Northamptonshire Ambulance Service 19 October 1992.

1993 

		Ambulance Executive Management Board
		Chief Ambulance Officer
		Deputy Chief Ambulance Officer
	Control	Field Management	Training	Headquarters
	Control and Control Communications and Computer Manager	Staff Officer Field Management	Staff Officer Training Manager	Staff Officer Headquarters Support
	Control Shift Managers	Group Station Managers	Assistant Training Manager	Clerical Officers
	Planning Manager	Leading Ambulance
	Liason Managers	Ambulance Para-medic
	Control Assistants Grade 2	Ambulance Technician
	Control Assistants Grade 1	Ambulance Person

The present Ambulance Service structure permits the flow of expertise or personnel across units according to patient need. 

Advisory Groups 1987 - 1993

The Management Team, are advised by professional groups on clinical and technical aspect of health care, fleet management, and financial aspects of the Ambulance Service.

The Ambulance Executive meets every three months and is composed of the Northampton District Assistant General Manager, the Chief Ambulance Officer, the two Assistant District Financial Directors and Kettering District Senior Nurse Planner.

The Ambulance Management Board consisting of the Chief Ambulance Officer, Deputy Chief Ambulance Officer, Chief Control, Communications and Computer Manager, Staff Officer Field Management, Staff Officer Headquarters Support, and the Staff Officer Training, meet at regular intervals.

The total Staffing for the Northamptonshire Ambulance Services is as follows :-

The Ambulance Headquarters is responsible for the administration of the Service through the Chief Ambulance Officer.

Some of the functions are Management, Administration, Operational Monitoring, and generally overseeing the Ambulance Service.

Staffing

The Staffing for the Northamptonshire Ambulance Service (Headquarters) is as follows :-

		Total	W.T.E.
	Chief Ambulance Officer	1	1
	Deputy Chief Ambulance Officer	1	1
	Staff Officer Field Management	1	1
	Staff Officer Headquarters Support	1	1
	Administrative Assistants	3	1.34
	1992/93 Total Headquarters Establishment	7	5.34

Control and Communications

Well over half a million people rely on our Service to respond to emergency, urgent and non-urgent calls.

The complex demands of patient movement in the Northampton and Kettering Health Authority areas, which form our County, require expert planning and controlling.

Our planning and computer systems have been developed through experience and so, with advanced equipment, expert operators and of course the help of our staff, we are able to ensure that the right support is at the right place at the right time.

Staffing

The Staffing for the Northamptonshire Ambulance Service (Control and Communications) is as follows :-

		Total	W.T.E.
	Control Communications and Computer Manager	1	1
	Control Shift Managers	6	6
	Planning Manager	1	1
	Control Assistants Grade 2	10	10
	Control Assistants Grade 1	2	2
	Northampton General Hospital
	Ambulance Liaison Manager	1	1
	Control Assistants Grade 1	2	1.5
	Kettering General Hospital
	Ambulance Liaison Manager	1	1
	Control Assistant Grade 1	1	1
	1992/93 Total Control Establishment	25	24.5

Field Operations

Our National Health Service activities of ferrying people who are sick, weak or elderly to and from hospital are well known.

Our Service is structured to ensure we can fulfil the variety of demands put upon us.

The uniformed men and women who come to the scene of an incident or who arrive to pick up, say, an elderly relative for out-patient, care are not all the same.

We also offer a first class Ambulance Service that is available privately, and we are happy to be commissioned by sports clubs and other event organizers, or by individuals.

Staffing

The Staffing for the Northamptonshire Ambulance Service (Field Operations) is as follows:

		Total	W.T.E.
	Northampton District Ambulance Stations Emergency	89	89
	Kettering District Ambulance Stations Emergency	79	79
	Northampton District Ambulance Stations Non-Emergency	25	16.38
	Kettering District Ambulance Stations Non-Emergency	24	11.68
	1992/93 Total Field Operational Establishment	217	196.06

Ambulance Car Service

The Ambulance Car Service is used on a voluntary basis and the only remuneration paid is on a mileage basis, this mileage allowance is less than the Hospital Car Service allowance, it is used mainly for long distance journeys.

The NHS Patients Carried and Mileage travelled for the Northamptonshire Ambulance 

Car Service is as follows :-

Total NHS Patients carried 1992/93

21748

Total mileage travelled 1992/93

483887

The Staffing for the Northamptonshire Ambulance Car Service is as follows :-

		Total	W.T.E.
	1992/93 Total Car Service Establishment	30	30

Training Department

Training is provided on a residential basis at Regional Ambulance Training Schools for Paramedics, Ambulance Aid, Driving, Management, and many other specialist subjects.

4 Department of Health Instructors, 2 Department of Health Driving Instructors, and 5 in-service instructors carry out in-Service training in our own Training Department.

Subjects are as follows :-

In-service induction training, First Aid Certificated training, First Aid refresher courses, Driving assessments, Cardiac Monitoring, Management courses, Resuscitation Courses, Kinetics of lifting, Awareness courses of paramedic skills, Annual assessments of paramedic skills

Staffing

The Staffing for the Northamptonshire Ambulance Service (Training Department) is as follows :-

		Total	W.T.E.
	Staff Officer Training Manager	1	1
	Assistant Training Manager	1	1
	1992/93 Total Training Department Establishment	2	2

A VHF radio network is operated covering Northamptonshire with 3 VHF channels in order to communicate with Ambulances, Officers, and Ambulance Stations and in emergencies, Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals .

G.P. Road Accident Doctors cars have been fitted with VHF radios for emergency use.

A Wang computer is used for Patient Registration, Enquiries, Abortive Journeys, Work planning, Statistics, Transmission of work to Stations, Radio messages. Vehicle utilisation, Personnel records, Fleet Maintenance, Budget and Staff hours monitoring, and many other tasks. This system was pioneered by Mr Eric Porter of Cleric Computer Services Ltd in Congleton Cheshire.

The Ambulance Liaison Departments at Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals have computer terminals in order to access the Wang computer at the Ambulance Control. This access is by B.T. telephone line with the use of a modem and Patient Registration is carried out with this system.

The Ambulance Stations have telephone modems and printers to enable the computer at the Ambulance Control to transmit the daily work schedules to the staff.

Fleet Management

Introduction	1948-1974
1912-1939	1974-1982
1939-1945	1993-2000

Special thanks to John Harley and John Drage.