A letter has been written to Mr Harrhy stating the position of the Aberhafesp Community Association (ACA) committee. The Letter recommends option 6 only, as follows.

Ref.: LET_ACA_airambulanceresponse_16-2-24

16th February, 2024

Dear Mr Harry

Potential closure of Welshpool’s Air Ambulance Base

You have presented six options on which the public here in Wales can engage before a decision is made on the provision of emergency response bases.

I would like to put on record that the Aberhafesp Community Association committee only favours your option 6.

The reasons for this response are many. Overall, we are in broad agreement with the response made to you by Russell George MS/AS and Craig Williams MP/AS.

https://www.russellgeorge.com/campaigns/campaign-save-welshpools-wales-air-ambulance-base

In addition to their views I would like to add some additions. These may have already been stated, but the strength of feeling warrants their inclusion here.

• The Aberhafesp community lies in the middle of rural mid-Wales. As you are well aware, we are more than an hour by road – when traffic is moving freely - to any A&E facility. The closure of the Welshpool facility would indicate a continued bias against our area.

• On the subject of bias, it is of concern to us that the decision on the closure of the Welshpool site may have already been made. e.g. your ‘Easy Read’ does not clearly explain all options, but presents the options as bad or even worse. Are you ‘going through the motions’?

• Sensus data as well as common knowledge indicates that our population is ageing – and is indeed already elderly. Such an age cohort is the least able to respond to this, your engagement page:

  https://easc.nhs.wales/engagement/sdp/p2ep1/

  It seems a convenient way to not record the voice of us.

Yours sincerely,

John Bateson, Chairman, Aberhafesp Community Association

The questionnaire (copy and paste into your browser)

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=uChWuyjjgkCoVkM8ntyPrlZpIHMNjHNAgjjXBaLfWEtUM1ZBNFM5OEREQ1haSzVHNktGWDhMVDdVQS4u

Responding to the above questionnaire - Help with the questionnaire.

Extract from https://www.russellgeorge.com/campaigns/campaign-save-welshpools-wales-air-ambulance-base

Campaign to Save Welshpool’s Wales Air Ambulance Base

Response:

Question 1 - The Six Options

I am supporting option 6. I am concerned because of the wide range of reasons raised in the first two stages of the engagement process that serious issues remain as a result of closing Welshpool and Caernarfon’s bases.

Rural Mid Wales needs a strong Air Ambulance presence, partly to make up for poorer local health provision, particularly in emergencies. Powys has no District General Hospital, and this makes the need for an Air Ambulance service vital - especially the need for specialised medical care to arrive quickly to an incident, and transfer patients to appropriate medical care outside of the county.

Inadequate and more difficult road access also makes the need for an Air Ambulance service all the more critical.

Closing the base in Welshpool will have a significant, detrimental impact on our communities. If decisions are made based on proper consideration of local views, it would be clear already that both bases would remain open. Local feeling is very strong.

Option 6 boosts capacity and response times in North Wales with the addition of a Rapid Response Vehicle while preserving vital bases for Mid and in Northwest Wales.

Question 2 - Please let us know what you think is good about Option A

I believe this option is harmful for people throughout Mid and Northwest Wales, and is not a suitable option to take forward.

Question 3 - Please let us know what you think is not so good about Option A

This option sees the closure of two vital air bases which have been responsible for saving countless lives and responding to critical incidents in rural areas for many years.

This option will take air ambulances further from the areas where they are most needed. The proposed new location in North Central Wales is located within in a populated area, that already has better access to emergency care. It does not take into account the needs of an older Mid Wales population and workers in Mid Wales in more hazardous professions such as farming or visiting tourists.

If only one base is operated to cover the Mid and North Wales areas, adverse weather could mean all air ambulances located at this one base are grounded. Currently, separate bases give added protection if one base is hit by bad weather or other events.

It is likely to result in reduced donations for the Wales Air Ambulance charity, threatening their continued valued service.

Question 4 - Do you think Option A might have an effect (either positive or negative) on the following?

I selected age, people based on where they live, and typed into the “Other” box:

I believe that this option only has negative effects. Mid Wales has an older population, who live in rural locations, and moving the Air Ambulance further away will be harmful.

Question 5 - Please let us know what you think is good about Option B

I believe this option is harmful for people throughout Mid Wales and is not a suitable option to take forward.

Question 6 - Please let us know what you think is not so good about Option B

This option sees the closure of two vital air bases which have been responsible for saving countless lives and responding to critical incidents in rural areas for many years.

This option will take air ambulances further from the areas where they are most needed. The proposed new location in North Central Wales is located within in a populated area, that already has better access to emergency care. It does not take into account the needs of an older Mid Wales population and workers in Mid Wales in more hazardous professions such as farming or visiting tourists.

If only one base is operated to cover the Mid and North Wales areas, adverse weather could mean all air ambulances located at this one base are grounded. Currently, separate bases give added protection if one base is hit by bad weather or other events.

It is likely to result in reduced donations for the Wales Air Ambulance charity, threatening their continued valued service.

Question 7 - Do you think Option B might have an effect (either positive or negative) on the following? (Please select all that apply)

I selected age, people based on where they live, and typed into the “Other” box:

I believe that this option only has negative effects. Mid Wales has an older population, who live in rural locations, and moving the Air Ambulance further away will be harmful.

Question 8 - Extra Actions - Please let us know what you think about the extra actions as described above

These extra actions would not be required if the four current bases remained in operation. They are a poor substitute for a locally-based Air Ambulance which is needed in mid and north west Wales.

Question 9 - Please let us know if you have any other feedback not already covered in the questions asked

While the engagement process has been lengthy, I am concerned that the voice of residents and the community is not being sufficiently listened to. It is very clear that the community of Mid Wales is overwhelmingly in favour of retaining the four existing bases.

I would highlight that rural Mid Wales needs a strong Air Ambulance presence, partly to make up for poorer local health provision, particularly in emergencies. Powys has no District General Hospital, and this makes the need for an Air Ambulance service vital - especially the need for specialised medical care to arrive quickly to an incident, and transfer patients to appropriate medical care outside of the county.

The shortlisted options A and B are not suitable and will lead to a significant and unacceptable reduction in emergency care provision for the people of Mid Wales, will impact the Air Ambulance charity, and should be discarded.

Option 6 is by far the most appropriate and best option.

Question 10 – Onwards

It should be noted that these questions do not need to be completed. You can decide if you want to complete these questions or not.

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