FOI 25-203 Alternative Response Desk Coverage
Freedom of Information Request
- Reference
- FOI 25-203 Alternative Response Desk Coverage
- Request Date
- 09 May 2025
- Response Date
- 05 Jun 2025
- Information Requested
Under the Freedom of Information Act, I am requesting information regarding the operational coverage of the Alternative Response desk responsible for despatching Community First Responders in Scotland from the 1st of January 2025 to the 30th of April 2025. Specifically, I am seeking details on
the number of hours, the times and the dates the service was not covered, due to the following reasons: Staff shortages • Staff sickness • Staff being reassigned to other duties • Meal breaks • Toilet breaks • Any other reason
Additionally, I would like to know if there are any existing plans or measures in place to mitigate the risks associated with these coverage gaps. e.g. If toilet or meal break how does the desk get covered? If reassigned to other desks/duties how does the desk get covered? Please provide the information in a format that includes the total number of hours for each category listed above, broken down by month if possible.
- Response
We have applied section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002 to the number of hours the Alternative Response Desk (ARD) was not covered for the reasons requested.
The individual reasons for the ARD not being operational with a dedicated dispatcher is not currently recorded, however over the requested date range the AR desk was covered by a dedicated dispatcher 78.6% of the time.
The ARD operates normally from the East Ambulance Control Centre (ACC) in South Queensferry and is one of 8 dispatch desks in the East ACC.
During ‘business as usual’ where dispatcher numbers are at the required level the ARD is operated by a dedicated dispatcher who has responsibility for the dispatch of both CFR and BASICS responders. At times when the ARD does not have a dedicated dispatcher, due to for example, going for a break, the Duty Dispatch Supervisor in discussion with each of the other ACC’s will highlight that the desk is unstaffed and therefore geographical dispatchers will resource CFR resources to appropriate incidents as required.
In an instance when the ARD is unable to open for a prolonged period, for example due to a short notice sickness absence, Duty Managers will identify amongst all the ACC if it is appropriate for the AR desk to be covered from another site. Where this is not possible, CFR resources are dispatched by geographical dispatchers, therefore at no time is a CFR resource without a dispatcher.
