FOI 25-357 NQP Recruitment 2025
Freedom of Information Request
- Reference
- FOI 25-357 NQP Recruitment 2025
- Request Date
- 19 Aug 2025
- Response Date
- 27 Aug 2025
- Information Requested
All from this current intake:
- Number of NQP applicants offered a conditional full time job who didn’t have a C1 at time of job offer?
- Why is this the case when this is a condition?
- Number of NQP applicants given full time jobs (what were there start dates) compared to those given part time jobs (number and start dates)
- Number of NQP applicants placed in their preferred region compared to those having to relocate
- Response
Q1 – We have applied section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002 to this part of your request, as information not held. This section applies when information is not held in a reportable format, it is considered not to be held. The information on conditional offers and who holds C1 licences are in fluid state and can change from hour to hour.
Q2 - This is Scottish Ambulance Policy. There are several conditions that need to be met prior to a Newly Qualified Paramedic starting with us, however we allow them to apply before they are in place. HCPC registration and C1 licence are the two main ones, however there are also other pre-employment checks such PVG. The C1 licence needs to be in place at least 6 weeks before a candidate starts employment with the Scottish Ambulance Service. The Service understand the difficulties there can be in candidates obtaining their C1 licence for several different reasons and, therefore, allow candidates the opportunity to apply without it being in place - this policy is not exclusive to NQP roles.
Q3 – There have been a total of 95 offers of employment made to date; 32 of these have been part-time basis and 63 are on a full-time basis. It is important to note that recruitment is on-going and these figures are subject to change.
Q4 - There’s a distinction between creating new information and compiling information already held. Where a request can be answered by compiling information from readily available resources held by the public authority, this is not the same as creating new information. However, if collation of the information would require skill and complex judgement, the information is not held. The Scottish Ambulance Service does not hold or gather data on which applicants have been offered their preferred station, and which ones would need to relocate. It is for this reason we have applied section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002 as information not held.
