With the future of the Air Ambulance under review again, now is the final opportunity to save the Welshpool base and a comprehensive service for mid Wales, writes cllr Elwyn Vaughan.
Two options have become the favourites, one means centralisation at Rhuddlan the other is my Plaid Cymru proposal ie 6C which is the way of keeping Welshpool and Caernarfon bases open having a split shift hence more hours of coverage and a extra RRV vehicle for the north east.
What is interesting is that the original proposal claiming to have 583 extra responses by closing Welshpool has been shown to be a figment of imagination and statistical creativity.
The reality now show the options as 2,904 incidents responses with Rhuddlan, rather than 2,901 with Welshpool, thus well within the margin of error in normal statistical work.
Model 6C would also see 200 more dispatches a year.
The estimated average response time from incident to getting care would also be the quickest overall at 51 minutes and 47 seconds with Welshpool.
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In Powys the amount of people incidents missed would not change from its current rate it would see response times drop on average by seven minutes and 43 second.
This scenario also is the most even in terms of improvements across Wales as in this scenario there would be an improvement in times in Gwynedd and Ceredigion as well as in the north-east of Wales.
No area would be actively worse off than they are now – the only option that ensures this.
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After all we are also furthest from hospitals and specialist care facilities.
If that’s the case looking at the whole picture surely it makes sense to accept option 6C and keep Welshpool and Caernarfon open.
The centralisation at Rhuddlan will be at our expense. After all Isn’t the aim of getting care quickly the key thing here -especially when we have fewer options to access emergency care in rural Wales?
I ask you all therefore to unite with me and Plaid Cymru to ensure option 6C is adopted and that Welshpool and Caernarfon bases are saved.
If you can’t attend a public meeting then please email - eascservicereviewqueries@wales.nhs.uk
United we can do this.
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