Following a final report being made public, which outlines recommendations that would see the closure of Welshpool’s Air Ambulance base. The Welsh Health Minister, Eluned Morgan MS, responding to Montgomeryshire MS Russell George in the Senedd today (13/3/24) has claimed that no final decision has been made.
Russell George, Senedd Member for Montgomeryshire, also raised concerns about how meaningful the engagement process had been.
The intervention comes after a process spanning eighteen months in which three engagement phases, 45 meetings and tens of thousands of letters and signatures on petitions made it clear that the overwhelming view of Mid Wales residents was that Welshpool should remain open.
Following the exchange in the Senedd today between the Montgomeryshire MS and the Health Minister, Mr George said:
“Analysis of the full-service review document, recommending closure, showed that while Welshpool covers 40% of Wales' population within 30 minutes by air, the proposed alternative base only covers 25%.’’
‘’Maps published as part of the report also show clearly that a large proportion of Mid Wales, from the coast to the border, will be significantly worse off in response times compared to current position.’’
‘’Closing Welshpool base cannot be an option. This is why I asked the Minister to intervene. I pointed out to the Minister that we have consistently been told nobody would be worse off with changes to the service. The recommendations that have now become public, would lead to slower response times for us in mid Wales. There's no doubt about that.’’
‘’I also questioned what impact the engagement process had. Many will feel this was a done deal from the start. The Minister has claimed that no final decision has been made, so she along with her Welsh Government colleagues now have the opportunity to intervene.’’
Mr George, along with Craig Williams MP and other campaigners, are pushing for individual health boards to reject the proposals during their own opportunity to comment in the coming days.
In a follow-up comment, Mr George said:
"Health boards are regional for a reason. They are designed to tailor their work and efforts to the different needs of each area. I hope Powys Teaching Health Board will take this responsibility seriously, even if under pressure from elsewhere, and move to reject a proposal that is detrimental to the people of mid Wales."
