FOI 25-499 Emergency Ambulances Diverted from ARI

Freedom of Information Request

Reference
FOI 25-499 Emergency Ambulances Diverted from ARI
Request Date
03 Nov 2025
Response Date
07 Nov 2025
Information Requested

Please can you tell me the number of times an ambulance has been diverted away from Aberdeen Royal Infirmary despite it being the closest hospital to the incident since the start of 2023 to the present date, broken down by year. 

 

Please could you tell me the reason for this and the hospital the ambulance instead had to travel to. 

Response

Under section 1 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), a public authority is required to provide information it holds. There is 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 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. 

In this case, we do not hold a record of ambulance diversions from ARI in the manner described.  It is for this reason we have applied section 17 to the number of times an ambulance has been diverted away from ARI. 

Important Information to Consider 

There are multiple factors involved in determining which hospital a patient is transported to. While the Scottish Ambulance Service dispatch system suggests the closest hospital based on the incident location, the final decision is influenced by a combination of: 

  • Clinical judgement of the attending crew based on the patient’s presentation and needs 
  • Operational advice from the Senior Operations Manager (SOM) within the ambulance control room, who holds real-time information on hospital capacity, geographical midpoints, and catchment flexibility 
  • Patient-specific considerations, such as known treatment plans or specialist requirements that may necessitate transport to a hospital other than the nearest one 

This decision-making framework is applied nationally and is not specific to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. 

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