NHS Glasgow have spent more than £3million on private ambulances over the last three years .
A freedom of information request revealed that the health board had spent a total of £3,359,826 on nine different private contractors.
Larbert based company, ABC Ambulance Services, received the largest sum, raking in £1,676,126 with over £1million being paid to the business last year.
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NHSGCC confirmed that a year long contract was awarded to ABC Ambulance Services, Glasgow's Alliance Ambulance Services and Edinburgh's Prometheus Alphamed.
This agreement went live in May of 2020, however, it also included three 12 month extensions, the first two of which have been utilised. The contract is set to come to an end in April of this year.
The predicted annual value of the contract at the time was £381,000.
Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said: "The SNP have repeatedly stated they are tackling the crisis in our NHS, but they waste vital funds every day.
"The SNP’s failure to plan effectively has caused shortages and challenges in various parts of the NHS, especially in emergency care. This has led to health boards plugging gaps by using the private sector, which is invariably more expensive.
"After 15 years of the SNP, the NHS is in danger of collapse, and Humza Yousaf needs to get a grip or go."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "As NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have already made clear the use of independent providers for patient transport was never in the circumstances of emergency ambulance provision.
"We expect all health boards to ensure they have sufficient patient transport options in place to support their patients when this is required.”
An NHS Glasgowspokesperson said: “Our patients require the use of transport 24 hours a day, whether as patient transport to accommodate a trip home after discharge or an ambulance to transport patients between hospitals.
“After 4pm the Scottish Ambulance Service prioritises ambulance support to 999 calls and to ensure patients are not delayed getting transferred to other hospitals or home we occasionally use private ambulances to provide this service. This model is not unique to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and has been in operation for a number of years. In line with pandemic pressures, our spending increased between 2020 and 2022 to manage a change in demand.”
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