The Wales Air Ambulance’s Welshpool base could close in plans revealed today by the lifesaving charity .

The shock move would close the station which has been serving the Powys and the mid Wales area from Welshpool airport since its opening in 2006.

This would leave the Powys to be covered by stations that are out of county from its bases in Caernarfon, Llanelli and Cardiff.

The air ambulance said the plans would help it to run more life-saving missions, creating the capacity for an additional 583 missions across Wales each year.

There is currently no definitive timescale for the plans, and the charity says if there are changes it is expected they will take "some time" to implement.

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Dr Sue Barnes, the Charity’s Chief Executive, said: “Through the trust that the public has placed in us over the past 21 years, we have been able to evolve into one of the most advanced air ambulance operations in Europe. We have a track record of making decisions with patients and their families at our heart.

“For people in Powys, it may seem counterintuitive that us moving away from their county would bring any benefits. But that is what our analysis is strongly conveying and it’s important to remember that we go to the patient, the patient doesn’t come to us.

"There is strong evidence that says this region, as well as every other part of Wales, will benefit from the proposed changes."

The charity says it has been undertaking a major review of its operations, with analysis that it says is among the "most comprehensive conducted by any air ambulance in the world, and says that a reconfiguration would significantly increase its ability to respond to incidents.

That would see the Welshpool crews co-located with the north Wales operation at a location to be decided. At present its north Wales helicopter is based in Caernarfon, but the new announcement suggests that could move as part of the plans.

It says it would mean the air ambulance could  meet 88 per cent of total demand for its service - up from 72 per cent at present.

It says it would also mean it could attend 26 more missions in Powys each year - and the county would be the biggest beneficiary per head of any in Wales, despite the service being based elsewhere.

The service also says the hours covered by the helicopters would extend from 12 hours to 18 per day, providing a local response in the north of the country so that overnight crews do not need to be called from Cardiff.

David Gilbert, Wales Air Ambulance Charity Chair of Trustees, said: “We have already started the process of engaging with key stakeholders.

"We will keep everybody updated as we move through the analysis and decision process but it’s fair to say that any potential changes would not happen for some time.”

Dr Barnes said: “Our previous evaluation, published earlier this year, proved that we deliver an excellent standard of care for the people of Wales. More people are surviving because of our advanced service. Now we want to know whether we are delivering this excellent care equitably, and to as many people as possible, with our current resources.

“The air ambulance in Wales is 21 years old and has evolved significantly. Our focus has moved from getting patients to the nearest hospital to getting our advanced medics to the patient.

"We now operate via road as well as air. This is vital when aircraft are grounded for technical reasons or when flying conditions are poor. Current locations mean that patients in north and mid Wales suffer from a lack of this alternative provision as a result of poor road access – unlike their counterparts in south Wales.

“Also, our current aviation contract is up for renewal, presenting us with a once-in-a-decade opportunity to look at our current service provision. Any service enhancements identified would need to be included as a part of the contract with the successful bidder.

“Due to the current increase in the cost of goods and services, we are expecting a 30% increase in aviation costs, so it’s more important than ever that we are using public donations in the most efficient and effective way possible.”