Llanfyllin 'second class 999 service' fears

Residents' fears that the town of Llanfyllin is receiving a "second class ambulance service" will be put to 999 service chiefs at a meeting next week.

Town councillors fear a shake-up in cover is leaving the town without an ambulance too often and for too long.

Those fears will be spelled out to Richard Lee, regional director of the Wales Ambulance Service, at a council meeting on Wednesday.

Ambulance bosses say they are happy to meet councillors to discuss the issue.

The town's county councillor Peter Lewis said concerns have been rising about ambulance cover over several months.

He said: "There was a revamp and we understood when Llanfyllin's ambulance was called out elsewhere, a rapid response vehicle would be sent to cover the town.

"It seems that response vehicle never leaves Newtown and we are concerned about our residents and what service they receive.

"Those concerns are still there and they need to be addressed because people in the town are worried."

Councillor Darren Mayor raised the concerns at a meeting in November when he said the service had been described to him as a second class service in rural areas.

At last month's council meeting, Councillor Mayor suggested a note should be kept on how often Llanfyllin's ambulance was absent from the town.

He said if ambulance bosses were unable to provide the data, the council should consider applying for it under Freedom of Information rules.

Ambulance chiefs say the changes are designed to use "dynamic deployment" to make sure the appropriate resources are available to deal with patient demand.

The meeting is at 6.45pm at Llanfyllin Public Institute.