Question reference: S6W-02536
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 25 August 2021
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Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 October 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many ambulances have been single-crewed in each year since 2017.
Answer
Ambulances are not single-crewed other than in exceptional circumstances, such as short notice unplanned staff absences, and every effort is made to double crew ambulances through rostered and relief staff, overtime or our bank staff.
Unfortunately as a result of COVID-19 there has been occasions where single crewing has had to be used as a result of late notice staff abstractions, however we are continuing to work with the Scottish Ambulance Service to reduce this where possible.
The following table outlines the number of single crew shifts, not ambulances each year since 2017/18.
Financial Year | % Single Crewed Shifts |
2016-17 | 1.3% |
2017-18 | 1.7% |
2018-19 | 1.8% |
2019-20 | 1.8% |
2020-21 | 1.3% |