The first organised obstetric flying squad was started by H. J. Thomson in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1933 to provide emergency back-up to general practitioners and midwives involved in home births.
The commonest major problems dealt with by the squad were: The mothers were frequently severely shocked and the baby was also likely to be in a precarious position.
The original aim was to primarily manage obstetric complications on site, then secondarily transport the mother and child to hospital.
This gradually evolved into primary on-site resuscitation than rapid transport to definitive care in a hospital.
The flying squad typically consisted of an obstetrician, anaesthetist, midwife, and a helper such as a hospital orderly.