FOI 25-220 Framework for Dispatch Codes
Freedom of Information Request
- Reference
- FOI 25-220 Framework for Dispatch Codes
- Request Date
- 21 May 2025
- Response Date
- 23 May 2025
- Information Requested
I am requesting a breakdown and information of the Scottish Ambulance Service's framework for dispatch codes and categorising ambulance dispatch
- Response
We can confirm that Scottish Ambulance Service holds recorded information on the framework for dispatch codes and categorising ambulance dispatch.
However, we consider that this information is exempt under the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002 Act and is therefore being withheld under the following exemptions.
Section 39 of the FOISA – Health and Safety
Section 39(1) of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002 (FOISA) exempts information which would or would be likely to endanger the physical or mental health of any individual. Section 39 is a qualified exemption and, as such, we are required to assess both the prejudice test and the public interest test in withholding this information against that of its release.
When assessing the prejudice test, The Scottish Ambulance Service needs to demonstrate that there would be an impact on an individual’s health and safety should the information be released. The Scottish Ambulance Service is also required to conduct the public interest test, which assesses whether releasing the information would be in the public interest despite the prejudice test being satisfied.
There is a concern that the information requested could be used to manipulate a high priority ambulance response to a lower priority call as it contains the key words and condition specific detail mapped to each ambulance response standard.
Therefore, if a member of public looks at the information requested, they could work out what to say to get an ambulance response as soon as possible. The impact of this would be for a vehicle to be sent to the 999 caller and therefore unavailable for a genuine life-threatening call, thus endangering the physical or mental health of that individual.
As such, we are engaging this exemption as full disclosure of this information would be highly likely to endanger the physical or mental health of an individual.
Section 33 of the FOI Act – Commercial Interests
The Scottish Ambulance Service are not the information assets owners for the codes and
determinant descriptors. The Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS) code and determinant descriptors are owned by a third party. Therefore, we consider that this information is exempt under section 33 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002. Section 33 exempts from the general duty to release information which would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any entity, including the public authority holding the information.In order to engage section 33 of the Act, The Scottish Ambulance Service has assessed the prejudice which may be caused through disclosure.
Release of this information could damage a company’s reputation or the confidence that customers, suppliers or investors may have in a third party. Disclosure is likely to have a significant impact on revenue or threatens the ability to obtain supplies or secure finance. This in turn would impact on the commercial interests of a contractor’s suppliers or investors.
Disclosure of this information is likely to risk the on-going relationships with other commercial interests of The Scottish Ambulance Service’s suppliers and investors. This would prejudice the future viability of the Scottish Ambulance Service in a commercial setting.
Releasing this information would also identify how a third party has developed its own unique element.
As a result, the Scottish Ambulance Service consider that disclosure of this information would prejudice the commercial interests of the third party.
Section 33 is also a qualified exemption and, as such, we are required to assess the public interest in withholding this information against that of its release.
We recognise the need for transparency, and bringing to light information affecting public safety, however, this must be balanced with the level of damage that stands likely to be done to the relationship with third
parties.Therefore, the Scottish Ambulance Service considers that releasing this information would not be in the public interest.
It is important to bear in mind that any disclosure under the FOI Act is a disclosure to the public at large and not just to the applicant. We recognise that there is a general public interest in the release of such
information in-line with the Scottish Ambulance Service’s commitment to openness and transparency. However, we do not believe that this public interest is served in disclosure for damage that would be caused as outlined above.Further Information
The Scottish Ambulance Service implemented the Clinical Response Model (CRM) for Emergency 999 calls in November 2016. The CRM aims to save more lives by more accurately identifying patients with immediately life-threatening conditions, such as cardiac arrest; and to safely and more effectively send the right type of resource first time to all patients based on their clinical need.
The model institutes a colour-coded system, which categorises 999 calls in terms of clinical need. Cases are coded purple, red, amber, yellow and green.
In less urgent cases, call handlers may spend more time with patients to better understand their health needs and ensure they send the most appropriate resource for their condition and clinical need.
The process is also designed to identify instances when an ambulance is not needed and instead the patient can be referred to an alternative pathway such as GPs, NHS24 or outpatient services. All calls are triaged into the following categories:
Purple: Our most critically ill patients. This is where a patient is identified as having a 10% or more chance of having a cardiac arrest. The actual cardiac arrest rate across this category is approximately 53%.
Red: Our next most serious category where a patient is identified as having a likelihood of cardiac arrest between 1% and 9.9%, or having a need for resuscitation interventions such as airway management above 2%. Currently the cardiac arrest rate in this category is approximately 1.5%.
Amber: Where a patient is likely to need diagnosis and transport to hospital or specialist care. The cardiac arrest rates for all of these codes is less than 0.5%.
Yellow: A patient who has a need for care but has a very low likelihood of requiring life-saving interventions. For example, patients who have tripped or fallen but not sustained any serious injury.
