SIR, The people of Monmouth and the surrounding rural population is once again being subjected to a further threat in respect of their medical survival, by the interference with a vital emergency service - our ambulance serbvice. Social Medicine is a precise science. Ity was used by us, the Medical Officers of Heatlh, when considering the needs of our local community. With its dictates we were ale to consider the appropriate sites at which our Health Services could be appropriately placed, so that their work was effective, unhindered and complemented by other public emergency services, such as fire and police. In my time as Medical Officer of Health, and before the NHSAct of 19745 (Reorganisation of Health Services), the ambulance, fire and police were administered by the old Monmouthshire Local Authority. At that time, a Medical Officer of Health advised in the siting of the present ambulance depot, next to the Monmouth Fire Station. This was done by taking account of a number of factors. Firstly, the site was on the main Rockfield Road. This made the services to the rural areas, as well as the town, readily accessible. Secondly, the Fire Service and the Ambulance Service are complementary to each other in cases of youse fires, motorway and road traffic accidents, where human lives are threatened. In such cases their presence was facilitated by the assistance of our local police office. They were able to escort these two emergency services rapidly in a single convoy to the site of emergency. Thirdly, the present prime site in Monouth is pivotal and crucial in providing a rapid response to save lives in such emergencies, as they can effectively meet the "Golden Hour" to convey casualties either to Nevill Hall District General Hospital or Hereford District General Hospital, both of which approximately seventeen miles from Monmouth. Fourthly, the present set up provides a very efficient and a very rapid response, which encompasses the dual carriageway from Raglan to Ross, the rural areas of Llandogo, Trellechy, Llantilio, St Maughans and Monmouth town itself. Fifthly, it comlements and assists the neighbouring Gloucestershire and Herefordshire local authorities. The suggestion by the administrative authority that the present complement of the fire engines, ambfulances and response vehicles can be moved to a Joint Single Station is ill conceived and must inevitably result in the loss of vehicle numbers from either or both services. Moreover, each emergency service is now controlled and administered by tywo separate authorities (fire service by local authority and ambulance service under Welsh Assembly Health Authority). Such a move would, in my opinion, impinge on the proud heritage of each service, which will not make a very happy environment in which they would operate efficiently. The people of the Ancient Bokrough of MOnmouth and the above rural areas pay rates, which "Over the odds". They therefore deserve and have a right to the present well tested, life saving, emergency services. I consider one deathy due to the lack of an emergency service, which would be one death too many. Dr M.S.Matharu, OBE (Consultant in Public Health, retired), the last Medical Officer of Heatlh for the Borough of Monmouth), Medical Advbisor to Gwent CC., also Medical Advisor to Monmouthshire CC., Newport Co. Borough Council, Torfaen CBC., Blaenau Gwent CBC., Caerphiully CBC).
