Ambulance station closure concerns

Posted: March 2, 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence 

Councilllors from Chirk Town Centre have been expressing their concerns surrounding the closure of Chirk’s ambulance station, claiming that the lives of residents will be put at risk. The ambulance depot on Station Avenue is to be replaced by a new building, costing £15 million which will be situated in Wrexham town centre. Wrexham and Flintshire ambulance service locality manager, Karl Hughes, told councillors that the decision had been made in a bid to make the Welsh Ambulance service more efficient. He stated that the new building would improve better coverage across Wales as a whole.

Wrexham County Councillor for Chirk South, Terry Evans, fears that lives will be lost as a result of the move. He stated: “I am really concerned for the residents of Chirk and Glyn Ceiriog. I feel that we are going to have more fatalities in Chirk. There’s talk about saving money but how much is your life worth? Because mine is priceless”. He added that he feels that the proposals have not been fully thought through.

“Chirk will lose an element of cover”

Mr Hughes said at the meeting: “I’m not going to lie to you, Chirk will lose an element of cover but only the 20 minutes in the morning that crews would have been cleaning and re-stocking their vehicles”. He went on to reassure councillors that in the new station this work will already be done for the crews, saving over 1000 man hours which would be put back into responding to emergencies. 

The new ambulance station will share a building with the fire service and received an £8.4 million grant from the Welsh government. It is expected to open later in 2016.

If you have been affected by medical negligence, and are looking to claim compensation, please contact us. 

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