The Welsh Government have said they may consider financially supporting keeping the Welshpool Air Ambulance base if there is a “good clinical case for it.”

This came after a question by Montgomeryshire MS, Russell George in the Senedd to Health Minister Eluned Morgan MS about whether the Welsh Government would be willing to financially support the service if new proposals came forward that would propose keeping the original bases, whilst also adding additional bases in other areas of Wales.

Ms Morgan said: ‘‘We are not in a position to start committing to resources that are already difficult to find in the system. So, it will be difficult for me to do that.

“Obviously, I'll wait until I see what comes forward. If there's a good clinical case for it, then we'll have to obviously consider that.’’

Currently, the service is partly funded by the Welsh Government, in an agreement between a service within the Welsh NHS and the Air Ambulance Charity.

An independent review is currently being run Chief Ambulance Services Commissioner Stephen Harrhy on the future of the service.

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This has been the centre of a lot of public interest since the County Times broke the news last year of plans to close the bases in Welshpool and Caernarfon and move them to a new north Wales site – with thousands signing petitions to keep the Welshpool base and a widespread banner campaign across Powys.

Mr Harrhy has been keen to emphasise that no decision has already been taken and is looking at a number of different options on the future of the base.

County Times:

Mr George said he was hopeful after the comments by Ms Morgan: “Ahead of further options coming forward later this year, I am now simply asking the Minister to indicate her willingness to increase financial support for the service, which may allow for both the service to do more, open additional bases across Wales, and retain important bases such as the location in Welshpool.

“Essentially, this would be the best outcome and archive what all involved want.

“There was hope within the Ministers response to me, I hope her indication of at least being willing to increase funding, if there was a good clinical case for it, will be factored into options that the Chief Ambulance Services Commissioner, Stephen Harrhy, is now considering.’’