HSE slams ambulance service's safety record

An HSE inspection report has severely criticised the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS).

The report said that the SAS board "have systematically failed to implement systems to ensure compliance with minimum statutory requirements" in relation to health and safety.

Pointing to "an endemic failure to carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments ... compounded by a lack of specific competence ... and a failure to provide adequate resources for health and safety", it added that previous HSE advice had "not been adequately actioned and on occasions had been ignored".

The report was obtained by the Centre for Corporate Accountability (CCA) under the Freedom of Information Act, and can be downloaded from www.corporateaccountability.org/dl/HSE/misc/sasreport.rtf

CCA caseworker Bethan Rigby said: "The failures were clearly very extensive and had put the health and safety of employees at unacceptable risk. This time the service must make the changes required of it."