'No formal decision' yet to move Welsh air ambulance from Welshpool base
Senior councillors say they have been "assured" that no decision has yet been taken on closing Mid Wales' air ambulance base.
It was revealed earlier this month that the Wales Air Ambulance was reviewing its operation – and is considering moving its Welshpool-based helicopter to a site in North Wales.
The charity says the move would allow it to respond to more incidents, but the news has been met with a fierce response from Montgomeryshire residents.
Now it has been confirmed that the leaders of Powys County Council have met with air ambulance bosses to discuss the situation.
The talks involved council leader, Councillor James Gibson-Watt, deputy council leader, Councillor Matthew Dorrance, Councillor Richard Church – Cabinet Member for Safer Powys, and Councillor Pete Roberts – Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys.
In a statement following the meeting they said: "We were assured that no formal decision had been made and that key partners such as Powys County Council would be consulted before a final decision was made.
"The air ambulance is held in high regard by Powys residents, as demonstrated by the high levels of funds raised in the county and plays a vital role in getting patients to medical facilities from the country's largest rural county.
"At the meeting we asked to see the source data used as evidence for their initial proposals and pressed for assurances that any future proposals will demonstrate an improvement to the level of service provided to the people of Powys.
"Air ambulance is a lifeline for all of Powys and it is essential that if changes go ahead, they improve provision for everyone. Getting patients in an emergency treated and then to hospital as quickly as possible is the crucial factor. It will need independent and rigorous scrutiny to assure us and the people of Powys that a proposal to move the base for helicopters will provide a better service."
