§ 28. Mr. Liddallasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of fact that throughout the country many people are unaware of the activities of the Emergency Medical Service, he will make a statement on the valuable services that have been and still are being rendered.
§ Miss HorsbrughVarious aspects of the Emergency Hospital Scheme, commonly known as the Emergency Medical Service, have been described in recent annual reports of the Department, and have also been the subject of many newspaper and magazine articles and broadcasts. I can hardly deal adequately in an answer to a Question with the widespread activities of the scheme, which provides treatment not only for the sick and wounded of the Forces and for air raid casualties but also for many classes of civilian sick and injured. The scheme has also developed such allied services as rehabilitation, blood transfusion, laboratories and ambulances. There may be an opportunity of reviewing the scheme as a whole on some future occasion such as a Debate on the Estimates. I should like, however, to pay my tribute now to the hospital authorities and to the medical, nursing and other staff of the hospitals, who have co-operated so well with the officers of the Ministry in making the scheme a success.
§ Mr. MesserDoes the right hon. Lady agree that this is an excellent illustration of the efficiency of large-scale medical service?
§ Miss HorsbrughIt is certainly a success as a scheme, through the co-operation of all those working for the sick and injured.