Release Date :  Thursday 2 April 2009

A Scottish Ambulance Service plan has achieved the government target for responding to life threatening emergencies. In March 2009 the Service responded to 77.4% of life threatening calls in 8 minutes, against a target of 75%.

The average response time for life threatening calls across Scotland is currently 6.5 minutes. The service reached 106,579 patients in a life threatening situation last year within eight minutes – 14,000 more than the previous year.

Pauline Howie, Acting Chief Executive, Scottish Ambulance Service, said:

“The successful achievement of the eight minute response target is a major milestone for the Service and testament to the commitment, dedication and professionalism of our staff. Their ability to go the extra mile for patients in all weathers and circumstances, day in, day out, is exemplary.

“In the last year the organisation has made significant progress with the introduction of new ways of working and clinical initiatives that are making a real difference to the everyday lives of our patients. 

“As we move forward, we will continue to look at new ways of delivering care, particularly in the more remote and rural areas of Scotland, where we are in the process of developing better care pathways designed to meet the needs of rural communities.”

Every year the Scottish Ambulance Service responds to approximately 600,000 emergency incidents, undertakes over 1.5 million outpatient journeys to hospital and flies over 3,000 air missions with a staff of 4,000.

ENDS