FOI 26-048 Spinal Decompression Surgery
Freedom of Information Request
- Reference
- FOI 26-048 Spinal Decompression Surgery
- Request Date
- 26 Jan 2026
- Response Date
- 27 Jan 2026
- Information Requested
As per my previous correspondences, please can you provide the following for your respective HB:
- The average ‘injury to spine, decompression surgery interval’ (or be differentiated from general life saving surgery)
- The number of secondary referrals (%) necessary
- Response
We have applied section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002 as information not held. To help explain the application of this section the Scottish Ambulance Service does not perform surgical procedures, including spinal decompression surgery, nor does it manage or hold clinical outcome data relating to surgical decision making, surgical time intervals, or referrals for operative intervention.
As a result, the Scottish Ambulance Service does not hold information in relation to:
- The average interval between injury to the spine and decompression surgery (or any differentiation between decompression surgery and other lifesaving surgical procedures); or
- The number or percentage of secondary referrals necessary for such procedures.
