More cash demanded for air ambulance

Russell George, the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Montgomeryshire, is urging the Welsh Government to allocate extra funding to support the Wales Air Ambulance and ensure the continuation of its base in Welshpool.

The plea comes amid an ongoing review of the air ambulance service in Wales, which has sparked significant controversy and opposition within local communities.

Led by Chief Ambulance Services Commissioner Stephen Harrhy, the independent review recently completed its initial phase of engagement on June 16th. Harrhy emphasized that no final decisions have been made following the initial Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) proposal put forth in 2022.

Public engagement for the review began in March 2023, with the aim of gathering feedback and addressing comments and queries to improve the air ambulance service throughout Wales.

The proposed closure of the Welshpool and Caernarfon bases has become a contentious issue, resulting in strong opposition from communities in the region.

Russell George MS, together with other campaigners, has actively campaigned to safeguard the Air Ambulance base in Mid Wales. During a recent session of Health Minister's questions, he queried Eluned Morgan MS, the Minister for Health, about the Welsh Government's willingness to provide financial support if new proposals were presented to maintain existing bases and establish additional bases in other parts of Wales.

In his address to the Minister, Mr. George asked:

"Can I ask you, Minister, if a proposal came forward that retained the current bases with suggestions of further bases that were appropriate in other areas of Wales that would need a greater financial resource, would that be something that you'd be willing to consider?"

In response, Eluned Morgan MS stated,

"We are not in a position to start committing to resources that are already difficult to find in the system. So, it will be difficult for me to do that. Obviously, I'll wait until I see what comes forward. If there's a good clinical case for it, then we'll have to obviously consider that."

Currently, the Wales Air Ambulance Service receives partial funding from the Welsh Government through an agreement between a service within the Welsh NHS and the Air Ambulance Charity.

Reflecting on the questions raised in the Senedd, Mr. George expressed his surprise, stating, "It was a huge surprise when proposals came forward last August to close bases in Welshpool and Caernarfon, with the proposals based on dubious data."

Underlining the importance of the Wales Air Ambulance service to Mid Wales, he added, "The Wales Air Ambulance service is of great importance to us in Mid Wales. We are told that the proposals to reconfigure services across Wales are not about cost savings, but it is also suggested that the service could be enhanced and reach more people if base locations are changed."

As discussions unfold regarding the future of the Wales Air Ambulance service, stakeholders and communities eagerly await a resolution that ensures the uninterrupted provision of this vital emergency service while addressing concerns raised by various parties.

Looking ahead to the options expected later this year, Mr. George is now urging the Minister to demonstrate her willingness to increase financial support for the service. This could potentially facilitate expansion, the establishment of additional bases across Wales, and the preservation of critical bases such as the one in Welshpool.

Mr. George believes that the Minister's indication of a potential funding increase, based on a strong clinical case, should be taken into account during the consideration of options by Chief Ambulance Services Commissioner Stephen Harrhy.