Integrated Clinical Hub - The Scottish Ambulance Service Evolution

11:15 - 12:30

In response to COVID, the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) rapidly transformed access to care and support for both patients and frontline staff through the introduction of the Integrated Clinical Hub and Pathways Hub. 

These innovations now enable patients across Scotland to receive enhanced care from the moment a 999 call is made.  Using advanced technology, SAS clinicians - including technicians, paramedics, advanced practitioners, and GPs  - are able to remotely assess and consult with patients 24/7.  

Where an ambulance is required, or clinicians within the hub identify further support is needed, the Pathways Hub team acts as a single point of contact for frontline workforce. It connects the patient with the right care in the right place drawing on referral services, Call before you Convey and a range of clinical decision support tools.  

This session will give delegates an in-depth look at the innovative service models and how they are helping to reduce demand across NHS Scotland, easing pressures on already busy emergency departments and acute services by diverting patients to more appropriate care pathways. 

Delegates will also hear about the real-world impact of these changes: 

• Over 174,000 patients supported; 

• An increase in tailored responses for more than 4,000 patients; and 

• More than 55,000 ambulance journeys avoided. 

Through collaboration within SAS and across NHS Boards, this work is reshaping urgent care - placing innovation, integration, and improved outcomes at its core.