Updated: September 2024
Following a fundamentally flawed decision taken by the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee (JCC) in April to close and centralise the Caernarfon and Welshpool Air Ambulance bases, campaign groups in both areas have been working together to challenge the decision.
The JCC is made up of CEOs of Welsh Health Boards, and other Independent members. Despite strong opposition from residents in Mid and North Wales, most Welsh health boards voted in favour of these plans, with only Powys Teaching Health Board and Betsi Cadwaladr in north Wales opposing them. The impact of this decision is hugely disappointing for us in Montgomeryshire.
Unfortunately, this decision will significantly impact access to urgent medical treatment for patients in Mid Wales. Those who supported the proposals seem to have overlooked our rural geography and the fact that Montgomeryshire is larger in size than Greater London.
In late July, along with other local campaigners, we put out the following statement. This confirms that an application for judicial review has been issued at the High Court.
Statement from ‘SAVE Welshpool Air Ambulance Base’ and ‘Save Caernarfon Air Ambulance’ Campaign Groups – 30th July 2024:
An application for judicial review has been issued at the High Court. The application challenges the lawfulness of the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee’s (JCC) decision to adopt recommendations which would see changes to the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS), including the permanent closure of Air Ambulance bases in Welshpool and Caernarfon.
We were not prepared to accept the decision reached, and campaign teams in Mid and North Wales have been working together, along with others, and law firm Watkins and Gunn.
The claim has been brought by a local resident (referred to as the Claimant). The Claimant is asking the Court to quash the JCC’s decision to adopt the recommendations, as well as to grant an injunction prohibiting the Defendant health boards from taking steps to implement the recommendations.
As campaign groups, we know how the public, Health Boards, and clinicians in Mid and North Wales did not support the decision to close the Welshpool and Caernarfon bases. We believe that the work of the air ambulance in Mid and North Wales is vital in providing life-saving emergency treatment and ensuring rapid response times into emergency care. We continue to believe that swathes of Mid and North Wales will receive slower response times from the Wales Air Ambulance Service, and at times won't receive a timely critical care response at all if the proposed changes take place. We also continue to call on the Welsh Government to intervene and ensure both bases remain in operation.
We will keep you posted on developments as further information is available.
Cynthia & Clive Duce, Bob Benyon - Save Air Ambulance Mid Wales Base Campaign / Andy O’regan – Save Caernarfon Air Ambulance Campaign / Russell George MS for Montgomeryshire / Powys County Councillors - Cllr Elwyn Vaughan, Cllr Joy Jones, Cllr Graham Breeze, Cllr Amanda Jenner.
As part of the decision made, the JCC also recommended implementing a ‘special emergency road service’ using Rapid Response Vehicles (RRV) as an alternative. Not only would this option be deeply unsatisfactory for a rural area like Montgomeryshire, but there is also no detail of how this would operate or cost. All it takes is for one extreme weather event or road closure to severely impact the ability of RRV’s to reach patients who are in need.
Over the years, countless residents have benefited from this life-saving service, and they have generously donated to and fundraised for it. I know that we all recognise the vital role that the Air Ambulance service plays in our area.
Following the decision, I have continued to raise the decision by the Committee in the Senedd, as I firmly believe the Welsh Government, who are ultimately responsible, should intervene and the proposals be called in for a decision to be taken by Welsh Government Ministers.
I continue to work with others, and on a cross-party basis. The Judicial Review process is complex, but we now wait for further information following the application for judicial review has been issued at the High Court.
The reconfiguration of Air Ambulance Critical Care services in Wales, from a point before any of us had heard of the proposal to close the bases, has been a process filled with bias, misinformation and misdirection. A Judicial Review would allow a judge to re-evaluate the decision-making process and I believe it would bring much needed transparency and objectivity and examine to what extent the process delivered a predetermined outcome.
I’d like to thank supporters for their determination in seeing this through to a positive outcome. I also thank the Health Boards, clinicians, and other health professionals that have challenged or spoken out against the decision taken. I still hope decision makers will re-consider this decision, and work to regain the trust of the communities of rural Wales without being forced to consider doing so by a judge.