Views sought on air ambulance
The public are being given a final opportunity to contribute to a Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) consultation which will inform the re-procurement of its Air Ambulance Service prior to its renewal.
The Air Ambulance Service, which is funded in its entirety by the Scottish Government, transfers patients living in remote, rural and island communities to and from hospital and is widely used on Arran.
It also provides air ambulance support to the ScotSTAR retrieval teams and responds to 999 calls in a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) role.
The service is delivered through a managed contract of two helicopters; one based in Glasgow and one in Inverness and two fixed wing aircraft; one at Aberdeen Airport and one at Glasgow Airport. In addition to the four government-funded aircraft, the service is supplemented by two helicopters provided by Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance.
A national multi-disciplinary team of paramedics, nurses, advanced practitioners, and doctors, work together to provide a flexible and responsive service that offers timely, safe and effective care for patients.
More than 1,500 people across Scotland have already provided their feedback on the SAS Air Ambulance Service through the consultation which launched in 2022.
Andy Moir, air ambulance re-procurement programme director at the Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who has taken the time to contribute to the air ambulance service consultation and engagement exercise so far.
“As we enter the final stage of the
consultation and engagement process, we welcome feedback from everyone with views on the air ambulance service and especially those who haven’t been in touch already.
“The feedback we receive enables us to build a clear picture of the desired next generation of the air ambulance service.”
Anyone wishing to express views or opinions about any aspect of the air ambulance future service should email: sas.airamb@nhs.scot by Friday March 17.