International Women's Day 2018

Women who work at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (YAS) have been sharing their thoughts on gender equality to support International Women’s Day on 8 March.

The theme of this year’s international campaign is ‘Press for Progress’ and it marks 100 years since women were given the right to vote. Much has changed in that time, including how females are regarded in the workplace.

Here at YAS we have found an old handbook from 1970 with a very unique view of women in the ambulance service. 

It reads: “Female ambulance attendants are employed by some Authorities, but obviously the duties which they can perform normally have to be of a limited nature. Their true value comes in the daily transportation of the more mobile out-patients, using the sitting-car type of vehicle, and in dealing with old people and children.

“I would not in any way decry the worth of female ambulance attendants, because they do most certainly ease the out-patient work-load, allowing more double (male) crews to be available for emergency work.

“The female ambulance attendant would be advised to undergo a period of training similar to that of her male counterpart, especially comprehensive first aid, kinetics, the handling of the elderly, and good road-craft. But perhaps some special emphasis might be placed on those more sedentary aspects of the service, i.e., work in Control, preparation of work, etc., in case relief should be required in that department.”

‘A Complete Handbook for Professional Ambulance Personnel’, by S. Cripwell Morris.

Watch our video to find out what our female staff had to say about this:

Read and share our press release - Ambulance Service Women Support ‘Press For Progress’