FOI 25-482 Mental Health Vehicles

Freedom of Information Request

Reference
FOI 25-482 Mental Health Vehicles
Request Date
21 Oct 2025
Response Date
19 Nov 2025
Information Requested

I am looking for information regarding the Scottish Ambulance Service’s Mental Health Services. 
 
Broken down by each FY from 2019/20 to 2025/26 (most recent) 

  1. How many WTE staff are employed in the SAS’s Mental Health Paramedic Unit, broken down by role. 
  1. As of 1 October 2025 (or most recent), how many vacancies are unfilled, broken down by role. 

On mental health triage vehicles, again broken down by each FY from 2019/20 to 2025/26 (most recent) 

  1. How many mental health triage vehicles are in use, broken down by location. 
  1. The total cost of purchasing a mental health triage vehicle. 
  1. The average cost of operating each mental health triage vehicle (including staffing costs) 
  1. Regards callouts for mental health triage vehicles, a) the total number of incidents responded to; b) of which the total number of incidents requiring a patient to be transferred to A&E. 
Response

Broken down by each FY from 2019/20 to 2025/26 (most recent) 

  1. How many WTE staff are employed in the SAS’s Mental Health Paramedic Unit, broken down by role. 

2019/20 zero 

2020/21 zero 

2021/22 6 wte paramedics 

2022/23 11 wte paramedics 

2023/24 11 wte paramedics 

2024/25 11 wte paramedics 

2025/26 11 wte paramedics 

 

  1. As of 1 October 2025 (or most recent), how many vacancies are unfilled, broken down by role. 

  One post became vacant on 12/10/25 and we are currently recruiting to this vacancy. 

 

 

On mental health triage vehicles, again broken down by each FY from 2019/20 to 2025/26 (most recent) 

  1. How many mental health triage vehicles are in use, broken down by location. 

One vehicle in Inverness, One vehicle in Dundee, One vehicle in Glasgow 

 

  1. The total cost of purchasing a mental health triage vehicle. 

The cost of purchasing the vehicle is £40,068including VAT. 

 

  1. The average cost of operating each mental health triage vehicle (including staffing costs) 

Under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, we confirm that this information is not held. While each vehicle is staffed by a Band 6 paramedic and operates 24/7, we do not hold a total operating cost. Staffing costs are part of wider workforce budgets and not attributed per vehicle. Similarly, maintenance and electricity costs are covered by a general budget and not tracked individually.  As such, we are unable to provide a consolidated figure. 

  1. Regards callouts for mental health triage vehicles, a) the total number of incidents responded to; b) of which the total number of incidents requiring a patient to be transferred to A&E. 

The Scottish Ambulance Service does not hold any information prior to July 2022 for incidents allocated to the Mental Health triage vehicles, it is for this reason we have applied section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002 as information not held. 

 

Please see the table below with all attended incidents attended by the MHPRU along with the conveyance count from July 2022 – October 2025. 

 

 

Incidents where MHPRU in attendances 

Conveyed 

2022/2023 

1262 

423 

2023/2024 

1569 

567 

2024/2025 

1847 

734 

2025/2026 

1330 

490 

We understand from operational data that the conveyance rate for patients seen by mental health triage vehicles is notably lower than that of standard A&E crews. Approximately 75% of patients attended by the mental health car have their needs met at the scene, with no onward conveyance required. 

This is achieved through a range of compassionate and therapeutic approaches, including the use of time, space, and empathy as clinical tools. Crews are trained to provide care that prioritises de-escalation and emotional support, and they have access to several onward referral pathways. These include: 

  • Professional-to-professional referrals to local mental health services 
  • Distress Brief Interventions (DBI) for individuals requiring further support 

Before dispatching a mental health resource, national pathways such as NHS 24’s Mental Health Hub are utilised to ensure appropriate triage. Additionally, mental health car staff may provide clinical advice and support to A&E crews on scene. 

Mental health car teams maintain close working relationships with local mental health assessment units. This collaboration allows them to gather relevant information to support decisions around attendance or non-attendance, ensuring that each response is tailored to the individual’s needs. 

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