Air ambulance decision a huge blow but we can’t and won’t give up fight
BYDD y rheiny ohonoch sydd yn darllen fy ngholofn ers tro neu’n fy nilyn ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol yn gwybod am fy mhryderon ynghylch dyfodol canolfannau Ambiwlans Awyr Cymru yng Nghaernarfon a’r Trallwng.
Dysgom am y cynlluniau i gau’r ddwy ganolfan a’u gyfuno i un ganolfan ganolog yng ngogledd-ddwyrain Cymru yn gyntaf yn ôl yn 2022. Ond roedd hi’n amlwg cyn gynted ag y cyflwynwyd y cynlluniau hynny bod pryderon dwys ymhlith cymunedau ym Môn, gogledd-orllewin Cymru a’r canolbarth ynglŷn â’r effaith y byddai penderfyniad o’r fath yn ei gael ar eu mynediad at wasanaeth mor bwysig.
Felly ar ôl galwadau cryf a chyson gan Blaid Cymru yn y Senedd, ac ymdrech ddiwyd ar lawr gwlad gan aelodau’r cyhoedd a gododd eu lleisiau yn erbyn y cynlluniau yma, comisiynwyd adolygiad annibynnol gan y Pwyllgor Gwasanaethau Ambiwlans Brys i edrych eto ar y ffordd orau o drefnu adnoddau Ambiwlans Awyr Cymru yng ngogledd a chanolbarth Cymru yn y dyfodol.
Ond yn anffodus, roedd yr adroddiad terfynol - a gyhoeddwyd yr wythnos diwethaf - a’r argymhellion a wnaed ynddo i gau canolfannau Caernarfon a’r Trallwng yn hynod siomedig, ac mae’n anodd peidio â theimlo fel ein bod wedi cael ein tywys ar daith hir lle’r oedd y gyrchfan yn y pen draw o barhau â’r cynigion gwreiddiol yn gwbl anochel.
Mae cael gwasanaeth fel yr Ambiwlans Awyr yn agos at gymunedau - yn enwedig rhai gwledig sydd fwyaf anodd eu cyrraedd - yn gwbl hanfodol, ac er bod yr adroddiad terfynol yn dadlau y bydd symud i ganolfan ganolog yng ngogledd-ddwyrain Cymru yn golygu gwell gwasanaeth i fwy o bobl, mi fydd hyn ar draul y gwasanaeth a dderbynnir ar hyn o bryd gan bobl yn Ynys Môn ac ar draws gogleddorllewin a chanolbarth Cymru. Ac nid pryderon y rhai sy’n byw ac yn gweithio yn y cymunedau yma yw’r rhain yn unig; ond barn broffesiynol meddygon, arbenigwyr a’r rhai sy’n gweithio yn y gwasanaeth hefyd. Wrth gwrs, nid yw hyn i ddweud ein bod yn gwrthwynebu gwella gwasanaethau mewn llefydd eraill - ymhell ohoni! Rydym i gyd eisiau gweld gwasanaethau gwell ar draws y wlad, ond ni ellir gwneud y gwelliannau hynny olygu gwanhau’r ddarpariaeth mewn ardaloedd eraill ar draws Gymru.
Hoffwn ddiolch i’r rheiny sydd wedi ymgyrchu’n ddiflino i wneud yr achos dros gadw’r ddwy ganolfan yn weithredol. Nhw yw’r rhai sydd wedi mynychu cyfarfodydd cyhoeddus, sydd wedi arwyddo’r deisebau, ac sydd wedi ymgysylltu’n adeiladol â’r prosesau ymgynghori yn yr adolygiad, ac rwy’n eu hannog i barhau â’u gwaith da.
Yr wythnos diwethaf yn y Senedd, galwais ar y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol i edrych eto ar yr effaith y byddai’r argymhellion hynny, pe baent yn cael eu gweithredu, yn eu cael ar ddiogelwch rhai o’n cymunedau gwledig ac i ystyried ymyrryd, ac rwy’n mawr obeithio y caiff yr opsiwn hwn ei ystyried o ddifri. Ni allwn roi’r gorau i hyn rŵan, ac mae’n rhaid i ni edrych mewn i bob llwybr i herio’r penderfyniad yma. Byddaf i a fy nghyd-aelodau Plaid Cymru yn parhau i leisio’r achos ar bob cyfle posibl o’r angen i achub y ddwy ganolfan.
THOSE of you who are long-time readers of my column or follow my social media platforms will know that I’ve long had concerns regarding the future of the Welsh Air Ambulance bases in Caernarfon and Welshpool.
We first learned of the proposals to close both bases and consolidate them into one centralised base in the north-east of Wales back in 2022. But it was clear as soon as those proposals were put forward that there were serious concerns among communities in Anglesey, north-west Wales, and mid-wales about the impact that such a decision would have on their access to what is such an important service.
So after strong and consistent calls from Plaid Cymru in the Senedd and a diligent effort on the ground by members of the public who raised their voices in opposition to this proposal, an independent review was commissioned by the Emergency Ambulance Services Committee to look again at how best to organise the resources of the Welsh Air Ambulance in north and midwales in the future.
But unfortunately, the final report, released last week, and the recommendations made within it to close both the Caernarfon and Welshpool bases were incredibly disappointing, and it’s difficult not to feel as if we’ve been taken on a long journey where the final destination of continuing with the original proposals was entirely inevitable.
Having a service like the Air Ambulance within close proximity to communities - especially rural ones that are most difficult to reach - is imperative, and while the final report argues that the move to a centralised base in north-east Wales will mean a better service for more people, that will ultimately come at the cost of deteriorating the service currently being received by people in Ynys Môn and across north-west and midwales. And these aren’t just the concerns of those who live and work within these communities; they’re also the professional opinions of doctors, specialists, and those who work within the service as well.
Of course, this is not to say that we’re against the improvement of services in other areas—far from it! We all want to see services improved across the country, but making those improvements cannot mean weakening provision in other areas.
My thanks go to those who have campaigned tirelessly to champion the cause of keeping both bases operational. They’re the ones who’ve attended public meetings, who’ve signed the petitions, and who’ve engaged constructively with the consultation processes within the review, and I urge them to continue with their good work.
Last week in the Senedd, I called on the Minister for Health and Social Services to look again at the impact those recommendations, if implemented, would have on the safety of some of our rural communities and to consider intervening, and I sincerely hope this option is seriously considered.
We cannot give up on this now, and we must explore every avenue to challenge this decision. I and my Plaid Cymru colleagues will continue to make the case at every possible opportunity of the need to save both bases.