Emergency Response Single-crewed Ambulances

– in the Scottish Parliament at on 8 December 2022.

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Photo of Edward Mountain Edward Mountain Conservative

5. To ask the First Minister how many single-crewed ambulances, responding to an emergency, have been deployed in the last six months. (S6F-01608)

Photo of Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Sturgeon Scottish National Party

Between June and November this year, there were 1,429 instances of the Scottish Ambulance Service single crewing ambulance shifts across Scotland. To put that into context, I would point out that it represents 1.72 per cent of the total number of shifts in that period.

In addition, there will be paramedic cars or motorbikes that are routinely single crewed and which are used to support the Ambulance Service’s multivehicle response to serious incidents as well as being used by advanced paramedics to support patients with less serious conditions in the community. Single-crewed ambulance shifts happen only in exceptional circumstances that cannot be avoided, such as short-notice staff absences or a significant unforeseen increase in demand.

Photo of Edward Mountain Edward Mountain Conservative

That is really concerning, because in simple terms, single-crewed ambulances cannot transport patients to hospitals. In the Highlands, where journey times can be over two hours, it means that there is a significant danger to life.

In 2008, when the First Minister was the cabinet secretary for health, she said:

The Scottish Government’s policy is clear: traditional accident and emergency ambulances should be double crewed, with at least one member being a paramedic, unless there are exceptional circumstances. In too many instances, particularly in the Highlands, practice is not living up to that policy.”—[

Official Report

, 4 June 2008; c 9260.]

It is clear that after 14 years of inactivity the First Minister has failed. Will she explain to my constituents why she has failed and when single-crewed ambulances will be consigned to history?

The First Minister:

I am genuinely not sure that Edward Mountain listened to the answer to his first question. With regard to the commitment that was made in 2008—and which I remember very well, because I was health secretary at the time—the instance of single crewing at that time was significant, particularly in rural areas, and our commitment to support the Ambulance Service with funding to eliminate the requirement for rostered single crewing, particularly in remote and rural parts of the country, was achieved. Single crewing now takes place only in exceptional circumstances that cannot be avoided. In the six months that I have been asked about and have talked about, 1.72 per cent—less than 2 per cent—of shifts were single crewed.

Let me explain to Mr Mountain’s constituents why that is the case. If, for example, at the last minute a member of staff is ill and does not turn up to work, as happens in any walk of life, the only alternative to single crewing would be not to have a crew at all and not to have the ambulance on shift. It only happens in such exceptional circumstances—and I would also say that, in any national health service, a figure of less than 2 per cent effectively amounts to eliminating single crewing. The Scottish Ambulance Service continues to work to minimise that figure as much as possible.