1980's THE GATHERING STORM

 In retrospect it might have been better if there had been an all out strike in 1979, because the discontent within in the service was to continue into the eighties.  For the crews the dilemma continued, the fight for better training and job recognition, balanced against the needs of the patients, and I am pleased to say in Surrey at least the patients always came first.

The management's problem on the other hand was that they were governed by the Ministry of Health, and had to work within certain guidelines.  Despite all of this the staff were still involved in raising money for their cardiac appeal, which thanks to the Rotary and Lions Clubs and various other groups, not forgetting the generosity of the people of Surrey,  was a complete success.  Within a short while all the stations in Surrey were to have cardiac equipment, and someone trained to use it.  

Calls by the Unions for strike action were  rejected in 1981 and again in 1983, once again the staff in Surrey decided it would be against the patients" best interest.  Reports in the press during most of the eighties were full of the unrest within  the service, they did mention the cardiac appeal, so one could be forgiven if they thought this was all that was happening, but changes  were still taking place as they had from the start.

One of the first differences came about in  1981 with the retirement of the Deputy Chief, Mr Peter Wattison, who was replaced in 1982 by Mr Derek Brooker, another of the men who had made his way up through the ranks, starting at Smallfields,  moving on to Godstone as Station Officer, to  Assistant Superintendent at Redhill, and finally Deputy Chief.

It is amazing how a particular action at a certain time appears quite insignificant, but can have a far reaching effect.    Tucked away in a routine order  dated July 1981, was a paragraph informing staff  that a central register was to be compiled of staff interested in being selected for advanced training.   At last the powers to be had sanctioned the concept of advanced training,  but I do not think anyone could comprehend how drastically this would affect the service, because at that time it had probably reached it’s peak within the guidelines laid down by the Ministry of Health.    

The change, like all previous changes within the service, would evolve slowly, although it did benefit the cardiac programme, which became an integral part very quickly.  No one could ever accuse the Ambulance Service of being indifferent to change,  from the onset of the service,  new techniques and technology  were always readily accepted.  The variations and adjustments were ongoing,  a change in  administration from Regional Health Authority to the East Surrey Area Health Authority, a move that was to strengthen the link between the local hospitals and the service.  

Ambulance personnel were still pressing for advanced training the ability to infuse, (put up a drip), and intubate, (insertion of  an airway). They found a champion for their cause in  Mr John Stoneham, a Consultant Anaesthetist at the Royal Surrey County Hospital Guildford.  The introduction of this training and expertise was one of the most dramatic alteration to the service.

 Not only did Dr Stoneham give his moral support, he helped in a practical way as well, willingly  giving his time lecturing to the personnel.   He helped establish a training programme to train suitable staff into the techniques of infusion and intubation.   The training involved a six weeks residential course,  at the ambulance training school, were the students would be taught the theory, and under the auspices of the Anaesthetic Department at the  Royal Surrey County Hospital, a practical course, after which Mr Stoneham would assess their capability.  

All of this brought about changes within the training school, not only was it responsible for induction, and refresher courses, it would now have the added responsibility  for the management of  the new advanced training, for which a whole new curriculum would have to  be brought in.  Considering they were breaking  new ground,  they succeeded above all expectation and by 1987 had their advanced courses in full swing.

 Control went through an enormous upheaval during the 80's, due to the continually updating, and rapid growth in  communication, coupled with  new computer technology, a need was seen not only to completely update, but also to create a  better working environment for the staff.  Rather than try to revamp, it was decided to move.  

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The  hall originally built for staff recreational purposes,  was felt to be  under utilised,  being  mainly used as  a dining facility. This area, together with the kitchen and main entrance, were completely remodelled to house a new control complex.    Opened at the end of the eighties, this probably  will come to be seen as another turning point in the history of the service.

In the new set up, general and emergency work would be kept completely separate, thus confirming that a change to a two tier system was in place.  Surrey was one of the last counties in the country to introduce this system,  Mr Bates, rightly or wrongly, believed all ambulance personal should be versed in every aspects of patient care, and patients attending Outpatient Departments needed as much care and attention as did admissions and emergencies.   At the time Mr Bates retired a two tier  system was  gradually emerging , and by the end of the decade was in place.   

The integration from Hampshire to Surrey in 1987 of the Farnborough Ambulance Station brought within Surrey’s sphere of operations a greatly extended  area, which was to include Aldershot and Fleet.  The benefit was that the day to day work would be made easier because now the whole of the Frimley Park Hospital catchment area would be the responsibility of Surrey Ambulance.

The actual retirement of Mr Bates in 1987 was to prove another watershed in the history of the service for he was to be the last of the Chief Ambulance Officers in Surrey, (although in the interim period Mr Brooker acted up as Chief until Mr Foy was appointed), from this time on the post would  be changed to that of General Manager.  This in itself would seem to be of little significance, but there is a subtle difference between being a Manager and that of an Officer.  

Mr Michael Foy was appointed in 1988 to head the service.  He had a hard act to follow, in view of the fact that the previous occupants of this post had always seemed to be "the right man at the right time" for the job, but for reasons unknown  Mr Foy never appeared to be accepted.   He had taken over at a very sensitive time,  there was a lot of tension within the service,  which was to culminate in a strike by the crews starting in October 1989, and although this was a national strike, the crews in Surrey for the first time joined in.    

They over ruled their objections to such action  by supplying an emergency service without pay, and despite a lot of pressure from The Hon Mr Kenneth Clark, the then Minister of Health,  nearly 100% of the crews decided to take militant action.  

All this happened before  Mr Foy had  time to settle into his new post, and unfortunately his actions at the time seemed to inflame the crews even more.  Both the Health Minister and Mr Foy had apparently read the situation wrongly, who would have thought that the press and general public would have given the ambulance crews such support, especially the people of Surrey who gave generously and unstintingly until a satisfactory conclusion was brought about in March of the following year.

Despite all the pressures  the work of the service still had to carry on,  even more so where the emergency duties were concerned.  The pressure on this aspect of the service was still growing, a 70% growth in accidents on the M25 over three years,  according to a report in the Woking News & Mail dated 27th October 1988.   Surrey was fortunate to have had no major emergencies within their area, but the service was still involved in assisting London, first at Clapham in December 1988 a train crash, to which they sent 6 Ambulances, and 9 crews to assist with the disaster.   Another rail crash, this time at Purley, saw 12 Surrey Ambulances and Control Unit involved with London once more, with help to remove the 95 injured.

Again showing their skill in dealing with major emergencies had not diminished.   And perhaps when it comes to dealing with emergencies the best example of the Surrey crews attitude came during the strike at the end of 1989, when crews despite not being paid, attended any emergency passed

    1990
                  Eddie Bates
       Area Chief Ambulance Officer
                    1975 -1987

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/12/newsid_2547000/2547561.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/low/dates/stories/march/4/newsid_2515000/2515219.stm