§ 43. Sir Francis Fremantleasked the Minister of Health how many surgical mobile units are now equipped and ready for action in the Emergency Medical Service; what is their distribution and personnel; and under whose orders they will move?
Mr. M. MacDonaldThe number of surgical mobile units equipped and ready for action is 456, including 7 special units. Of this total 115 are in the London sectors and the remainder distributed over the principal towns in each region. A team consists of a surgeon, an anaesthetist, a sister and a male assistant who may be either an orderly or a medical student. The teams will move under the orders of the hospital officer or the group officer in the respective areas.
§ Sir. F. FremantleIs it proposed to increase that provision, or is it considered sufficient to deal with the situation at the present time?
Mr. MacDonaldI would like notice of that Question. Certainly, if there appears to be any need for increasing this provision, we shall increase it.
§ Sir F. FremantleHave they been used much yet?
Mr. MacDonaldYes, Sir. At the time of the evacuation from Dunkirk a great many of these mobile surgical teams did exceedingly valuable work.