MP chairs first meeting of air ambulance group

The fight to secure the future of the Wales Air Ambulance base in north Powys has gained renewed parliamentary support with the relaunch of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Air Ambulances (APPGAA).

The group, which advocates for air ambulance services across the UK, has reconvened to bolster its campaign for better funding and policy backing.

Steve Witherden MP chaired the group’s inaugural meeting, stepping in as chair in the absence of Pete Wishart MP.

Mr Witherden was confirmed as an Officer of the APPGAA, alongside Baroness Foster and Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP. The meeting set out key objectives for the year ahead, including providing the Government with evidence on the return on investment that air ambulance charities offer, in a bid to strengthen lobbying efforts.

A campaign has been ongoing against the proposed relocation of the Welshpool Air Ambulance base, a move that has been widely criticised for potentially endangering access to emergency healthcare in Mid Wales.

Mr Witherden was a vocal opponent of the closure during his election campaign and has continued to push back against the decision since taking office.

As Mid Wales awaits the delayed outcome of a judicial review into the closure, Mr Witherden reiterated his stance that rural areas must not be left behind when it comes to healthcare provision.

“The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Air Ambulances is back off the ground,” said Witherden. “As we await the outcome of the judicial review into the closure of the Welshpool base, this group will continue to make the policy case for properly supporting these lifesaving services at a UK-wide level.”

He stressed that people in rural areas should not suffer from diminished healthcare services due to cost-cutting measures. “As myself and many others have said time and again, living in a rural area should not preclude you from access to timely healthcare. While everyone in Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr is hoping for a positive ruling, we must try and change the national conversation around rural healthcare more widely.”

Mr Witherden’s comments highlight the growing concern that rural communities are being disproportionately affected by healthcare restructuring. He emphasised that the air ambulance service is a critical component of emergency medical care in remote areas like Mid Wales, where traditional road-based emergency response times can be significantly longer.

“We should not have consistently worse local provision just because the services we rely on are easy pickings for savings,” he added. “For us in Mid Wales, the air ambulance is literally a lifeline, and I will not stop working to push it up the agenda with colleagues across both governments.”

The outcome of the judicial review will be pivotal in determining the future of the Welshpool Air Ambulance base, with campaigners hoping that the decision will acknowledge the vital role the service plays in Mid Wales. In the meantime, the **APPGAA’s relaunch** signals that the fight for adequate air ambulance provision is far from over.