Janet Finch-Saunders MS has questioned the Welsh Government on the future of the Air Ambulance Service across Wales.
The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy spoke in a debate alongside other Welsh Conservatives, highlighting the damage that could be done by plans to centralise the service, and the need for complete clarity to be provided as to the impact of the proposed closures of the bases in Welshpool and Caernarfon on North Wales.
The Wales Air Ambulance Charity provide an essential life-saving emergency medical service for the critically ill and injured across Wales.
Their team is capable of reaching a critically ill patient anywhere in Wales within 20 minutes of receiving a call.
Speaking in the Senedd, Janet said:
In the depths of a winter crisis in our NHS, with strikes continuing unresolved, this seems to me to be the worst possible time to start thinking about closing Air Ambulance operating bases.
Unanswered questions still remain on the impact this would have on my constituents, and indeed residents across North Wales.
We urgently need more data from the Welsh Government and charity, so that we can establish what impact the proposals are going to have on Aberconwy.
And as many others have said, closing the bases at Welshpool and Caernarfon could not only put patients at risk, but have knock-on consequences for other areas.
Aberconwy is a constituency with a large rural population. There are areas which are more difficult for regular ambulances to reach in time, so I do not wish to see longer flight times.
ENDS
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders AS wedi cwestiynu Llywodraeth Cymru am ddyfodol y Gwasanaeth Ambiwlans Awyr ledled Cymru.
Siaradodd yr Aelod o’r Senedd dros Aberconwy mewn dadl gydag aelodau eraill o’r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, gan nodi’r niwed posibl a allai ddeillio o gynlluniau i ganoli’r gwasanaeth, a’r angen am eglurder llawn ynglŷn ag effaith y cynnig i gau’r safleoedd yn y Trallwng a Chaernarfon.
Mae Elusen Ambiwlans Awyr Cymru yn darparu gwasanaeth meddygol brys hanfodol sy’n achub bywydau ar gyfer pobl sy’n ddifrifol wael a phobl sydd ag anafiadau ledled Cymru.
Mae tîm y gwasanaeth yn gallu cyrraedd claf difrifol wael unrhyw le yng Nghymru mewn 20 munud o dderbyn galwad ffôn.
Meddai Janet yn y Senedd:
Wrth i’r GIG wynebu argyfwng y gaeaf hwn, a nifer o streiciau heb eu datrys o hyd, mae’n ymddangos i mi mai dyma’r adeg waethaf bosibl i ddechrau meddwl am gau safleoedd gweithredu’r gwasanaeth Ambiwlans Awyr.
Mae llawer o gwestiynau heb gael eu hateb ynglŷn ag effaith y cynnig hwn ar fy etholwyr, ac yn wir ar drigolion ledled y Gogledd.
Mae gwir angen rhagor o ddata arnom gan Lywodraeth Cymru a’r elusen, er mwyn i ni ddeall effaith y cynigion ar Aberconwy.
Fel mae llawer o bobl eraill wedi nodi, gallai’r cynnig i gau’r safleoedd yn y Trallwng a Chaernarfon roi cleifion mewn perygl a chael effaith ar ardaloedd eraill hefyd.
Mae Aberconwy yn etholaeth sydd â phoblogaeth wledig fawr. Mae’n fwy anodd i ambiwlansys arferol gyrraedd rhai ardaloedd mewn pryd, felly mae’n rhaid osgoi amseroedd hediadau hirach.
DIWEDD
Llun: Janet Finch-Saunders AS
