Ambulance service in £25m boost

The money will be spent on new vehicles and maintaining the fleet

The Scottish Ambulance Service is to be given £25m to buy new ambulances and defibrillators.

It is part of a £525m package to boost health services across Scotland.

In addition, health boards will share £324m of funding earmarked for 2008/09 to build new facilities, and upgrade existing facilities.

The rest of the £525m will be spent on specific projects in areas such as e-health, primary care and primary and community care premises.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon made the announcement during a visit to Inverness.

Among the projects to benefit from the funding are two in NHS Highland.

I am particularly pleased that this funding will enable work to start on large-scale projects including re-design projects at Borders General Hospital Nicola Sturgeon Health Secretary

Work on the new 24-bed community hospital at Bonar Bridge in Sutherland and a new day surgery centre at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness will start next year.

Ms Sturgeon said: "The record funding I am announcing will enable NHS boards across Scotland to continue with their building programmes to ensure that we have a health service infrastructure that is fit for the 21st Century.

"These developments will bring real benefits to patients and staff and ensure that first-class treatment can be delivered in a state-of-the-art environment.

"The funding for the Scottish Ambulance Service is also to be welcomed as it will ensure that its fleet of vehicles is as modern as possible.

"I am particularly pleased that this funding will enable work to start on large-scale projects including re-design projects at Borders General Hospital and a new emergency care centre for Aberdeen."

A spokesman for the ambulance service said: "This equates to approximately £8.5m per year for the next three years which allows us to ensure vehicles are replaced and the fleet is fit for purpose".