Mental Health Triage Cars
With the support of the Scottish Government, the Scottish Ambulance Service has developed mental health specific resources within our own service. Working with our partners in Mental Health Assessment Units and Health and Social Care Partnerships, mental health triage cars operate in Glasgow, Dundee and Inverness. These cars are staffed by a Paramedic with additional mental health training. In our Glasgow and Dundee sites a mental health nurse attends alongside the paramedic. In Inverness, a team of mental health nurses provide enhanced support via direct telephone link to the mental health car.
The Mental Health Cars respond to people who have contacted 999 for Ambulance support for a mental health need. The vehicles are dispatched by our Ambulance Control Centres.
In a recent visit to the Mental Health Car in Inverness, Mental Wellbeing Minister, Maree Todd said:
“This is a dynamic and evolving service responding to people who need emergency mental health support and importantly, this expansion will allow that support to be provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week in Inverness.
“Everyone in Scotland, in need of mental health support should know the various ways that they can access help, whether through NHS inform, their GP, the NHS 24 Mental Health Hub or though SAS when there is an immediate threat to life.”
