The History of the Plymouth Ambulance Service 1945 - 1990

Post war years saw the ambulance service re-equip itself, until in 1948 the National Health Service was formed - This placed an obligation on local authorities to operate an ambulance service. Plymouth City Council took over responsibility locally and built a second ambulance station at Crownhill (now the British Red Cross HQ). During 1951 ambulances were fitted with the first radio-telephones, which helped to reduce the amount of wasted journies.

Prior to this, crews had to find a convenient telephone or return to station before going to the next call-out.

1974 saw the formation of the County Ambulance Services under the direction of the regional health authorities and Plymouth helped form the Devon Ambulance Service. A huge modernisation plan of vehicles, equipment and training methods commenced and during the 1980s we started to hear the, now familiar, term of Paramedic.

In 1988 Medic Care Southwest Ltd was formed as Plymouth's first private ambulance service - the brainchild of former Devon Ambulance Service Paramedic: Nicholas B. Vincent. In those early years of operating, Medic Care Southwest Ltd (later to become the parent company of Medic Air European) operated just two ambulances: - a Citroen Safari and a Bedford CF.

By 1990, the company had become so successful that it moved from its residential setting in Saltash to new premises in the heart of Plymouth. It was at the Beacon Park Business Centre that New offices, vehicle bays and workshops, crew room and complete training facilities were used. Also at this time, Medic Air European was formed as a specialised service - providing I.T.U. transfers by land and air ambulances. The vehicle fleet doubled in size almost overnight and included a Volvo ambulance - used for long distance duties and a Ford Transit Ambulance, converted as a specialist
Intensive Care Unit.
Our first fixed-wing air
ambulance, a Merrix Air
Golden Eagle Aircraft, was
based at Exeter Airport
and had the capability to
reach Paris in one hour
and twenty six minutes
or further afield to Rome
in four hours and
thirty minutes.

Photo: Mr & Mrs N.B. Vincent pictured at Plymouth's famous Tamar Road and Rail Bridges
at the commencement of Medic Care Southwest Ltd in 1988