FOI 26-093 - Turnaround Times Ayrshire, Aberdeen and Edinburgh
Freedom of Information Request
- Reference
- FOI 26-093 - Turnaround Times Ayrshire, Aberdeen and Edinburgh
- Request Date
- 20 Feb 2026
- Response Date
- 13 Mar 2026
- Information Requested
Prior to the next rest break meeting, could you provide unison with information in relation to hospital turnaround times,
What is the average turnaround time in Lanarkshire, Ayrshire, Aberdeen, Edinburgh?
What is the longest time an ambulance has had to turnaround due to hospital delays?
What is the monthly over run hours per region ?
- Response
The Turnaround time is calculated from when an ambulance arrives at hospital to the point of departure. These turnaround times are affected by a wide range of factors, including ambulance staff cleaning vehicles following patient transportation, supporting the ongoing care of the patient and on occasions providing statements to the police.
Our local management teams are working closely with Health Boards to ensure that ambulances are released as quickly as possible
Please see the attached sheet detailing the average turnaround times for Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, University Hospital Ayr, University Hospital Crosshouse, University Hospital Hairmyres, University Hospital Monklands and University Hospital Wishaw only. This information has the date range of 01/01/2024 - 31/01/2026.
For context, we have also included the total number of conveyances to each hospital, the average, median1, 90th percentile2 and maximum turnaround times for each emergency department above broken down by month.
Please see the attached sheet detailing the monthly over-runs for each Region as requested. These have been given in hours.
Please note caution when interpreting this data – In September 2025, the Scottish Ambulance Service transitioned how this information was submitted to payroll. Where previously staff submitted paper timesheets to be input, since September the information is extracted directly from the scheduling system.
- Response Documents
