FOI 25-526 Private Ambulances in times of High Demand
Freedom of Information Request
- Reference
- FOI 25-526 Private Ambulances in times of High Demand
- Request Date
- 14 Nov 2025
- Response Date
- 18 Nov 2025
- Information Requested
Given the latest figures and the ongoing issues with the Scottish ambulance service making calls, why does the service refuse to engage with private ambulance companies to assist in times of extreme hardship.
With hospital wait times through the roof and the inability to get an ambulance, given that England uses this model why does the Scottish ambulance refuse to engage.- Response
The Scottish Ambulance Service does not have the authority to delegate care to non-regulated providers within Scotland.
As Health is a devolved matter, the regulatory framework that applies in England and Wales under the Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not extend to Scotland. Should regulation for pre-hospital care or ambulance provision be introduced in Scotland, this responsibility would fall to Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), which undertakes such regulatory functions in Scotland. HIS can only act upon instruction from the Scottish Government, and to date, no such instruction has been issued.
