§ Mr. Muffasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that an officer repatriated on the "Gripsholm" to Chester Military Hospital, as a stretcher case, was refused the use of a St. John ambulance to remove him to a sanatorium, at Ruthin, by the medical superintendent, Colonel Preston, after the almoner had given permission; that the superintendent telephoned his refusal to the officer, who was helpless in bed, and told the sister in charge to bring the patient to the telephone to receive the message; and if he will take steps to prevent the recurrence of such mistakes.
§ Sir J. GriggPatients in such cases as this normally travel by train. Reservations are made, and the patients are taken to the train and are met at their destination by ambulance. Private arrangements may, however, be made to take the patients all the way by ambulance, but in such cases, as my hon. Friend will appreciate, the military authorities cannot be responsible for the arrangements. They must be authorised by the patient or by his friends and relatives. I understand that the patient and his step-father decided in this case to make their own976W arrangements. The Army medical officers advised and gave all the help they could, but they were not empowered to authorise as a public liability the conveyance of the patient in a St. John's ambulance, and they quite properly made this clear. I understand that the patient was not on any occasion asked to come personally to the telephone. I am sorry that there was a misunderstanding in this case.