FOI 26-374 Emergency Response Bags and Disposal Arrangements
Freedom of Information Request
- Reference
- FOI 26-374 Emergency Response Bags and Disposal Arrangements
- Request Date
- 19 Aug 2026
- Response Date
- 08 Sep 2026
- Information Requested
I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 regarding the procurement of emergency response bags and the Scottish Ambulance Service’s arrangements for the retirement, disposal and sale of surplus operational equipment.
- Emergency Medical ResponsebagsPlease provide details of the manufacturer and supplier of the current green Emergency Medical Response bag used by frontline A&E crews, including:
* Manufacturer and supplier name.
* Product/model or catalogue number, if held.
* Approximate date the current bag was introduced.
* Whether it is a bespoke SAS specification or a commercially available product.
* The manufacturer/supplier of the previous model, if this information is held.
* Any relevant procurement/framework or contract reference, where publicly disclosable.
I would also be grateful for the manufacturer and supplier details of other standard operational medical bags currently used by frontline crews, where readily available.
- Retirement and disposal of operational equipment
Please provide the current policy, procedure or guidance covering the retirement, disposal, recycling, sale or transfer of surplus operational equipment. I am interested in equipment generally, rather than bags alone, including items such as:
* Medical/clinical equipment;
* Defibrillators and monitors;
* Response bags and other equipment bags;
* Stretchers and patient handling equipment;
* Ambulance equipment.
Please confirm:
* How equipment is assessed and authorised for retirement.
* Whether retired equipment is repaired/refurbished, recycled, destroyed, returned to suppliers, sold, donated or transferred.
* Whether surplus equipment can be sold or transferred to members of the public, staff, charities, educational establishments, private healthcare providers or other organisations.
* The usual method of sale, such as auction, surplus equipment contractor or other platform.
* The name of any third-party auction, disposal or recycling companies used.
* Where publicly available, the website/platform through which surplus equipment is advertised.
* Whether SAS branding, logos, NHS markings or other identifying information must be removed before sale or disposal.
- Previoussurplus sales
For the last five financial years, please provide, where readily available, details of the routes or organisations used to sell or otherwise dispose of surplus operational equipment.
If any part of this request is not held centrally, please provide the information held by the relevant procurement, logistics or asset-management function.
- Response
- Emergency Medical Response bags
Please provide details of the manufacturer and supplier of the current green Emergency Medical Response bag used by frontline A&E crews, including:
Manufacturer and supplier name. The current Emergency Medical Response (EMR) bags used by frontline Accident and Emergency crews are supplied by Openhouse.
Product/model or catalogue number, if held.
Adult Emergency Medical Response Bag (SASAB): Catalogue Number 20-00037-PLUS
Paediatric Emergency Medical Response Bag (SASPB): Catalogue Number 20-00182-PLUS
Approximate date the current bag was introduced.
The current bag design has been in use for more than 16 years. However, the Scottish Ambulance Service does not hold recorded information identifying the date on which the current design was first introduced.
In terms of section 17(1) of FOISA, we do not hold the information requested.
Whether it is a bespoke SAS specification or a commercially available product.
The bags are manufactured to a bespoke Scottish Ambulance Service specification
The manufacturer/supplier of the previous model, if this information is held.
The previous bag was also supplied by Openhouse
Any relevant procurement/framework or contract reference, where publicly disclosable.
The bags are supplied through a legacy contractual arrangement with Openhouse. However, the Scottish Ambulance Service does not hold a recorded procurement, framework or contract reference associated with this arrangement.
In terms of section 17(1) of FOISA, we do not hold the information requested.
I would also be grateful for the manufacturer and supplier details of other standard operational medical bags currently used by frontline crews, where readily available.
The above Adult and Paediatric Emergency Medical Response Bags are the only standard response bags utilised by frontline A&E crews.
- Retirement and disposal of operational equipment
Please provide the current policy, procedure or guidance covering the retirement, disposal, recycling, sale or transfer of surplus operational equipment.
I am interested in equipment generally, rather than bags alone, including items such as:
Medical/clinical equipment;
Defibrillators and monitors;
Response bags and other equipment bags;
Stretchers and patient handling equipment;
Ambulance equipment.
Please confirm:
How equipment is assessed and authorised for retirement.
The retirement of operational equipment is subject to internal governance review and approval processes. These processes include, but are not limited to, equipment and vehicle decommissioning arrangements.
Whether retired equipment is repaired/refurbished, recycled, destroyed, returned to suppliers, sold, donated or transferred.
All appropriate options are considered. Where possible, equipment is repaired, refurbished or redeployed elsewhere within the Service before alternative disposal routes are pursued.
Whether surplus equipment can be sold or transferred to members of the public, staff, charities, educational establishments, private healthcare providers or other organisations.
Any transfer or sale is subject to legal, governance and liability considerations. Where liability cannot be appropriately transferred to a third party, the transfer or sale cannot proceed.
The usual method of sale, such as auction, surplus equipment contractor or other platform.
The Service utilises the services of third party auction services providers
The name of any third-party auction, disposal or recycling companies used.
Hilditch and BMA
Where publicly available, the website/platform through which surplus equipment is advertised.
Whether SAS branding, logos, NHS markings or other identifying information must be removed before sale or disposal.
All branding, logos and markings should be removed before sale / disposal
- Previoussurplus sales
For the last five financial years, please provide, where readily available, details of the routes or organisations used to sell or otherwise dispose of surplus operational equipment.
For the last five financial years, the Scottish Ambulance Service has utilised the following organisations for the sale of surplus medical equipment:
- Hilditch Group
- British Medical Auctions (BMA)
