WIREDGOV

The Scottish Ambulance Service will receive £25.5 million over the next three years to buy more than 700 new vehicles.

The Service will be allocated £8.5 million each year to ensure that its vehicles are fit for purpose, safe and reliable, as well as being adaptable to meet changing operational needs.

The massive funding injection will allow the Service to buy around 250 new vehicles each year for the next three years.

This will be made up of approximately 90 new accident and emergency vehicles - including traditional ambulances and paramedic response units - 90 patient transport vehicles and 70 support vehicles.

As the money is invested each year, the total fleet will grow from 1,369 to 1410 vehicles by 2012.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said:

"Ambulance Service staff are out there saving lives every single day and they deserve the highest standard of transport to enable them to carry out their job effectively.

"This investment will ensure the Scottish Ambulance Service has the right mix of modern, state-of-the-art vehicles to continue offering the best emergency care to the people of Scotland."

Every three years the Scottish Ambulance Service is required to submit a business case to the Scottish Government Health Directorates for funds to continue the programmed replacement of its vehicles. The Scottish Government has agreed to provide the necessary funds requested by the Service in full.

Related Information

http://www.scottishambulance.com/