FOI 25-474 ScotSTAR Ambulances
Freedom of Information Request
- Reference
- FOI 25-474 ScotSTAR Ambulances
- Request Date
- 21 Oct 2025
- Response Date
- 07 Nov 2025
- Information Requested
1/ How many ScotSTAR ambulances are now based in Scotland, and where are they based? If there are air ambulances, can this be noted separately?
2/ What is the current regional makeup of ScotSTAR, for example "one transport covers East Scotland, two cover central belt".
3/ How many neonatal transports did ScotSTAR successfully perform in: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 to date?
4/ How many neonatal transports did ScotSTAR successfully perform to NHS trusts in England in each of those years? Can you give me a breakdown of how many were made to each NHS trust.
- Response
1/ How many ScotSTAR ambulances are now based in Scotland, and where are they based? If there are air ambulances, can this be noted separately?
3 Ambulances shared by the Neonatal and Paediatric Teams, based at Glasgow Airport Base.
1 Ambulance used by the Neonatal South East Team, based at Edinburgh RIE Campus.
1 Ambulance used by the Neonatal North Team, based at Aberdeen Airport Base.
2 EMRS West Response Cars based at Glasgow Airport Base.
1 EMRS North Response Car based at Aberdeen Airport Base.
Separately Air Ambulance details.
2 SAS Fixed Wing Resources based at Glasgow and Aberdeen respectively
2 SAS Helimed Resources based at Glasgow and Inverness respectively
2 SCAA Helimed resources based at Perth and Aberdeen respectively
1 Paramedic Response Unit based at Perth Airport for use by Air Ambulance Paramedics.
1 Paramedic Response Unit based at Aberdeen Airport for use by Air Ambulance Paramedics.
2/ What is the current regional makeup of ScotSTAR, for example "one transport covers East Scotland, two cover central belt".
Although the ScotSTAR teams are based in different geographic locations, they operate as a national service and can be dispatched to any part of Scotland as operational needs require. In addition, occasional incidents will occur over the border.
- Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (EMRS)
- A West and North Team (Glasgow and Aberdeen Airport Bases respectively)
- Neonatal Transport Service
- A West, South East and North Team (Glasgow Airport Base, RIE Campus and Aberdeen Airport Base respectively)
- Paediatric Retrieval Service -
- One team covering Scotland
The team websites contain additional data: - Emergency Medical Retrieval Service;
ScotSTAR Paediatric Retrieval Service
In addition, the Network Websites: - Scottish Trauma Network | Regions
Neonatal Units - Scottish Perinatal Network
3/ How many neonatal transports did ScotSTAR successfully perform in: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 to date?
Year
Neonatal Transfer Dispatched
2020
1077
2021
1085
2022
1013
2023
952
2024
1006
2025*
799
* Provisional to 31st October 2025
4/ How many neonatal transports did ScotSTAR successfully perform to NHS trusts in England in each of those years? Can you give me a breakdown of how many were made to each NHS trust.
The Scottish Ambulance Service does not record neonatal transfers by NHS Trust—data is held by hospital name. However, the number of transfers is very low, and breaking them down further could risk identifying individuals.
To comply with data protection obligations, we are unable to provide this level of detail.
Transfers to England (Receiving Hospital) or back from England (Referring Hospital)
Year
Neonatal Transfer Dispatched to England
Year
Neonatal Transfer Dispatched from England
2020
7
2020
<5
2021
5
2021
7
2022
11
2022
10
2023
5
2023
<5
2024
5
2024
<5
2025*
6
2025*
8
* Provisional to 31st October 2025
* Provisional to 31st October 2025
For the given data, you will see that some of the figures are shown as, five or less than five, please note that this figure has been suppressed because the statistical value is less than five. The Scottish Ambulance service has a duty, under the Data Protection Act to avoid directly or indirectly revealing any personal details. It is therefore widely understood that provision of statistics on small numbers, five or less are statistically suppressed upon disclosure.
