Judicial review to overturn decision to close Welshpool Air Ambulance base will resume next month

Proceedings at Cardiff County Court were adjourned on Thursday (January 23) halfway through the second day of the review. The parties will get together again on February 7 to complete the review.

The claim has been brought by a resident of Bryncrug and has been backed by campaigners.

The permanent closure of the Welshpool and Caernarfon Air Ambulance bases, announced last year, has faced widespread opposition from people across mid and north Wales.

Campaigners argue that the reconfiguration will lead to slower response times for critical care in rural areas.

At the hearing on Thursday, Mr Justice Turner heard the end of submissions from the claimants/campaigners represented by Ms Clements KC.

She painted a picture of a behind-the-scenes battle with the Wales Air Ambulance Charity urging the Chief Ambulance Services Commissioner Stephen Harrhy and the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee to come to a decision about the future of the bases, while Llais and some health board leaders were calling for more information before a decision could be made.

Ms Clements KC said a mistake meant there was a cost discrepancy of between £610,000 and £860,000 for the selected option but that was never explained to or taken into account by the JCC, and the correct figures were not provided to the public.

Ms Clements claimed the JCC members were never properly directed to give critical weight to Llais’ representations, the public’s voice on health and social services, and they should have been according to Welsh Government guidance on health service changes.

She told the judge: “It was irrational to make a decision about the base location without knowing what was going to accompany it.”

Montgomeryshire Senedd Member Russell George said: “The legal team challenged the lawfulness of the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee’s decision to adopt recommendations which would see changes to the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service, including the permanent closure of Air Ambulance bases in Welshpool and Caernarfon.

“As campaigners we hope the judicial review will bring transparency and lead to a reversal of the controversial plans. Our legal team that we have been working with argued that the JCC’s decision lacked transparency, failed to consider the unique needs of rural communities, and challenged the process that led to the decision.

“I believe that the proposals to close the Air Ambulance’s base in Welshpool were based on flawed information, and that the process has been filled with bias, misinformation and misdirection. The legal team presented these arguments.  

“It is of course not possible to say if the legal challenge will be successful. The hearing will resume on February 7. The judge will then make a determination at a later date. Based on the evidence, research, and the work of the campaign team - and working alongside the legal team presenting the case - there is good reason to feel positive about the outcome of the challenge.”

The judicial review will continue on February 7.