Court showdown set over Welshpool air ambulance decision which has 'shaken communities'
A court showdown over hugely controversial plans to close an air ambulance base will take place later this week.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
The campaign, which has been battling against a decision by the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee’s controversial plans to close the Welshpool Air Ambulance base, will be heard at court in Cardiff.
Following an application for judicial review that was issued at the High Court last year, the hearing will take place on Wednesday and Thursday January 22 and 23.
The application challenges the lawfulness of the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee’s (JCC) decision to adopt recommendations which would see changes made to the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service, including the permanent closure of Air Ambulance bases in Welshpool and Caernarfon.
The decision to close the base has proved hugely controversial with the people of Mid Wales, with thousands objecting to the plan throughout a lengthy consultation process.
Campaigners will be represented in court by Watkins & Gunn’s Human Rights and Public Law team - with hopes the judicial review will lead to a reversal of the plans.
Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George, has been a part of the campaign team to save the base, and has called on the Welsh Government intervene.
In response the Welsh Government said that it is a decision for the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee and the Wales Air Ambulance Charity.
Speaking ahead of the hearing Mr George said: "This decision has shaken the trust of communities in Wales who rely on the service of the Wales Air Ambulance to attend and treat people at a scene, and ensure people are transferred to receive further critical care treatment in a timely manner.

"The Air Ambulance is a lifeline for rural Wales, and the closure of the Welshpool base would be a devastating blow.
"As a member of the campaign team, we continue to work to challenge the decision. We were encouraged that a judge allowed a case to be heard in a court hearing. The legal team that that we have been working with will argue that the JCC’s decision lacked transparency, failed to consider the unique needs of rural communities, and challenge the process that led to the decision.
"The process lacked transparency, and the proposal to replace air ambulance services with road-based alternatives is both impractical and poorly conceived. One extreme weather event or road closure could have catastrophic consequences for those that need urgent medical attention.
"I believe that the proposals to the close the Air Ambulances base in Welshpool were based on flawed information, and the process has been filled with bias, misinformation, and misdirection. The legal team will present this argument.
"As a campaign team, we continue to believe that large parts of mid Wales will experience slower response times if the Welshpool base is closed, and at times won’t receive a timely critical care response at all if the proposed changes proceed.
"It is of course not possible to say if the legal challenge will be successful. A judge will hear the arguments and make a determination at a later date. Based on the evidence, research, and the work of the campaign team, working alongside the legal team presenting the case, there is good reason to feel positive about the outcome of the challenge.
"I have been impressed with the legal firm, Watkins and Gunn, and let’s remember that being allowed the opportunity to present at a hearing demonstrates that a judge considered the case to have merit in the first place.
"We in Mid Wales are not asking for preferential treatment, we are asking for fairness, the people of Mid Wales deserve the same standard of care as those in urban areas.
"I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this fight, whether through signing petitions, fundraising, or voicing support for the campaign team. I’d also like to thank the legal team at Watkins & Gunn ahead of the hearing.’’