The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) is welcoming up to 280 recently qualified recruits this year as part of a nationwide workforce expansion supported by a £4 million investment from the Scottish Government.
Michael Dickson, chief executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “These newly qualified paramedics are a great boost to our service ahead of what can be our busiest months.
“Our continued ambition, supported by the Scottish Government, is to grow and develop our workforce.
“Alongside investment in our new replacement fleet, this will strengthen our teams, increase resilience and help us provide the best possible care across Scotland.”
Health Secretary Angela Constance visited Livingston Ambulance Station on Monday, November 9 to meet some of the new staff alongside Dickson and SAS chair Tom Steele.
Constance said: “Ambulance staff have shown outstanding resilience in the face of sustained pressure and I want to thank them for their continued dedication and hard work.
“We are working hard to provide the Scottish Ambulance Service with the staff and resources it needs to continue delivering a high-quality emergency service to people across Scotland.
“I recognise the vital contribution that newly qualified paramedics make and our £4 million investment is helping more successful applicants secure employment.
“This is helping bring workforce levels to a record high and supporting our NHS as we enter into winter.”
During the visit, Constance was also shown part of the service’s updated vehicle fleet.
Since April, 190 new replacement vehicles, including emergency ambulances and patient transport vehicles, have been added as part of SAS’s ongoing fleet investment.
The Health Secretary said the vehicle upgrades demonstrate the government’s long-term commitment to improving emergency care.
She said: “The fleet replacement programme highlights our commitment to investing in our health service and will deliver more than 1000 new and improved vehicles over five years, ensuring crews have the modern and reliable equipment which they need.”
