| 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 |
 |
| Photographs taken by Geoff Davis |
|
|
