Scottish Ambulance Service recruits almost 100 new staff ahead of winter

The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) has boosted its staffing by bringing in almost 100 new recruits ahead of winter.

The extra staff were announced today (Tuesday, 11 November) by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray while visiting the Service’s East Ambulance Control Centre (ACC) in South Queensferry.

The new staff include 25 call handlers who are based in the Service’s ambulance control centres and 22 staff, including GPs, clinical advisors and advanced practitioners, who have joined the Service’s Integrated Clinical Hub. 

A dozen scheduled care coordinators who manage the Service’s patient transport vehicles have also been recruited, along with 36 ambulance care assistants who will transport patients to planned hospital or clinic appointments. An additional 72 ambulance care assistants will join SAS by April 2026.

Michael Dickson, Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “Compared to last year, we’re already seeing an increase of pressure on our services. It’s therefore essential that we continue to bolster our workforce to ensure we can give the best possible service to our patients and also provide support to our existing staff during this demanding time.

“To help our staff over winter, we’d like to remind the public that if you need urgent care, but it’s not life-threatening, you can call NHS 24 on 111, day or night, or visit your GP during opening hours.”

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “It was a pleasure to meet some of the new recruits and hardworking staff at the South Queensferry Control Centre. These new staff members will provide a crucial boost to the Scottish Ambulance Service as they deal with the increased demand and pressure that winter brings.

This is on top of work already underway to recruit an additional 269 newly qualified paramedics this year. 

“The additional call handlers and recruits to the Integrated Clinical Hub will all help to reduce conveyances and ensure patients are directed to the most appropriate care. The new staff working in the Hub will help triage less seriously ill patients who don’t need to go to A&E, freeing up ambulances and reducing pressure on emergency departments.”