FOI 26-376 SAER's, Complaints and Staff Hearings
Freedom of Information Request
- Reference
- FOI 26-376 SAER's, Complaints and Staff Hearings
- Request Date
- 02 Sep 2026
- Response Date
- 16 Sep 2026
- Information Requested
I would like to request the following information under the Freedom of Information act.
- The number of significant adverse events recorded by the ambulance service in the last five years.
Could these please be categorised to reflect the types of events recorded and the year.
- The number of complaints raised against the ambulance service over the past five years.
Categorised by type of complaint if data allows.
- The number of complaints which were upheld and the number which were not upheld.
- The number of cases involving disciplinary proceedings against SAS staff and the outcome of these proceedings over the last five years.
- Response
- The number of significant adverse events recorded by the ambulance service in the last five years.
Could these please be categorised to reflect the types of events recorded and the year.
Please see the table below detailing the total number of significant adverse events recorded by the Scottish Ambulance Service for each year requested. The Scottish Ambulance Service do not categorise events into any specific criteria. Under Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002, authorities are not required to create new information to answer requests.
2021
39
2022
48
2023
64
2024
21
2025
32
2026
36
- The number of complaints raised against the ambulance service over the past five years.
The total number of complaints raised against the Scottish Ambulance Service in the last five years has been 5823.
Categorised by type of complaint if data allows.
Stage 1 complaints- 3,349
Stage 2 complaints 1,997
MSP complaint - 471
Scottish government complaint- 6
The number of complaints which were upheld and the number which were not upheld.
There were 3154 complaints upheld and 2669 complaints not-upheld.
The number of cases involving disciplinary proceedings against SAS staff and the outcome of these proceedings over the last five years.
Please see the table below detailing the total number of hearing for each calendar year and a breakdown of the outcomes reached.
First Written Warning
Final Written Warning- 12 months
First and Final Written Warning - 12 months
Alternative to Dismissal
Learning Outcome
Dismissal
No Sanction
No Case
Other
Total
Year
2022
<5
<5
<5
6
11
2023
8
<5
8
<5
<5
6
28
2024
8
10
<5
<5
<5
5
<5
<5
29
2025
<5
<5
<5
<5
<5
11
2026
<5
5
<5
<5
<5
<5
<5
15
For the given data, you will see that some of the figures are shown as, five or less than five, please note that this figure has been suppressed because the statistical value is less than five but greater that zero. The Scottish Ambulance service has a duty, under the Data Protection Act to avoid directly or indirectly revealing any personal details. It is therefore widely understood that provision of statistics on small numbers, five or less are statistically suppressed upon disclosure.
