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The Last FST in Dhofar
 
A.H. Osborne and D.G. Raitt
Journal of the Royal Naval Medical Services Vol 64 Winter 1978 167 - 176
 
This FST was the only Joint Services FST. It was fifteen strong.
The Surgeon / Officer Commanding was from the Royal Navy.
The Anaesthetist was from the Royal Air Force.
The Resuscitation and Dental Officer was from the Royal Army Dental Corps.
The remainder of the team was from the RAMC;
  OTTs 4  
  Radiographer 1  
  Lab Technician 1  
  SRNs 2  
  SENs 3  
  WO1 1  
 
(Only the MOD could dream up such a combination and label it "Joint Services" ! Imagine the negotiations and politicking between the three services  as they sought to put the team together!)FWJdeB
Their main problem appears to have been  supply - fortnightly C130. A lack of provision of nitrous oxide for eight weeks occurred through a failure to re-establish a cancellation of supply when it was thought that the FST was going to close. This obviously had  a bearing on the anaesthetic techniques used.
The REs maintained their fleet of two ambulances,a Landrover and a "beach buggy"
Accommodation now "consisted of seven large tin huts"
918 outpatients were seen at the FST and a further 170 at Umm-Al-Guariff.
321 admissions to hospital
715 X-Ray examinations were made - 1041 exposures
655 Laboratory examinations were performed
200 dental  cases were attended to.
101 elective non-battle surgical operations were performed
          e.g. inguinal hernia, meniscectomy etc
26 non-battle emergency procedures
          e.g. perforated DU, intussusception
34 primary trauma operations
          e.g. RTAs
37 secondary procedures
          e.g. DPS and removal of fixation devices
13 primary battle casualties were treated
          e.g. shrapnel and gunshot wounds
31 secondary battle casualty procedures
           e.g. DPS etc
239 operations in a four and a half month period.      i.e. 18% battle related
Group Photo of last FST
Photographs taken by Geoff Davis
 
   
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