Telephone operators in Red Warning influenza emergency

Dec. 12, 1969 - Nine women handle flu emergency calls.: Doctors with urgent influenza cases on their hands yesterday made telephone calls at the rate of one every two minutes to Fielden House, Southwark, headquarters of the King Edward Hospital Fund emergency bed service for 200 London hospitals. Nine women, some with only a firtnights training in medical terminology, took the calls then telephoned round six or seven hospitals, searching for an available bed for a flu casualty. On Christmas Eve the Fielden House emergency staff handled 299 emergency calls. On Christmas Day 194 patients were placed in hospitals on top of the normal tally urgent surgical cases sorted out by the emergency service. A total of 247 cases were placed on Boxing Day, and 375 on Saturday. Photo shows the drop of seasonal cheer was left untouched as these two telephone operators in the Emergency Bed Service operations room tackled the flood of SOS calls at the height of yesterdays Red Warning influenza emergency

Restrictions Only for United Kingdom

Available Calls Cases Casualty Cheer Drop Fielden Fund Handled Hospitals Influenza Minutes Normal Operators Patients Placed Rate Searching Seasonal Sorted Southwark Surgical Tackled Tally Telephoned Terminology Untouched Urgent Warning Yesterdays

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