Welsh Labour candidates standing in Monmouth in the forthcoming local elections have joined forces to pledge their support for the Ambulance Service and write to the Minister for Health for answers over plans to reduce the 999 service for the town.

Monmouthshire County Council held a debate at the full council meeting on March 3 2022 regarding Ambulance services. There was cross-party opposition, including from Labour councillors to potential plans of the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust to remove rapid response vehicles.

The Welsh Labour council group leader Cllr Dmitri Batrouni also put forward an amendment, to ensure the leader of the council meets with the CEO of the Welsh Ambulance Service as soon as possible to discuss the plans.

Welsh Labour’s candidates for Monmouth’s wards have pledged to do all they can to ensure a reduction in response vehicles does not happen and have written to the Welsh Government Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan MS, putting the case forward from residents that the ambulance services must not be downgraded and stating the case for retaining the Response Vehicles.

Catherine Fookes, the candidate for the new Town Ward where the Ambulance Station is based, has listened to the concerns of local residents on the doorstep and is seeking further clarification about the implications Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust national roster review would have on local emergency services provision from the Minister.

Catherine said: “While this is an ongoing internal review by the Welsh NHS Ambulance Service residents are rightly concerned and feel isolated since A&E services were moved from Nevill Hall Hospital to The Grange University Hospital, Llanfrechfa, Cwmbran.

‘‘It is important that Monmouth and the rural areas that surround it retain a safe level of emergency ambulance and paramedic coverage. We are urgently seeking answers.”

Steven Garratt who is standing for Overmonnow Ward and Alice Fletcher (nee Legg) who is standing for the Wyesham Ward have also called for action.

Steven added: “With a large proportion of the local population being elderly and vulnerable we want to ensure residents’ concerns are taken in to account as part of the review”.

Alice added: “With the busy A40/A449 running through the area safe emergency cover is essential in case a major road traffic accident occurs and pulls away response vehicles”.

Jason Killens, chief executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, has said Monmouthshire would see a rise of five full-time employees as well as an increase in the number of emergency ambulances and urgent care service hours available as a result of the plans.

Sign petition

Following on from the online petition to save the Rapid Response Vehicles (RRV) in town, two volunteers are asking residents to sign paper petitions which will allow the Welsh Government (WG) to debate the topic in the Senedd.

The current online ‘change.org’ petition is addressed to the CEO of the Welsh Ambulance Trust so Terry Kirton and Lorraine Allman have had the paper petition approved with the WG.

“We’re mindful there are many people in and around Monmouth who are still not aware that the RRV is under threat” Loraine told the Beacon.

She and Terry are concerned that many others, especially elderly or more vulnerable people may not be connected online or on social media, so they will be in town on Friday April 1 and Saturday April 2 from 9am to 5pm both days collecting signatures.

The only difference is that people have to be resident in Wales to sign this particular one, whereas for the change.org they can be resident anywhere.

“We’ve had a great response asking for volunteers, but always happy to take on more, so a quick shout out for help would be amazing – even just covering one hour on one of the days would help. People can contact us directly through the Facebook page at the facebook group ‘savethemonmouthrrv’ she added.

Calendar Lady Promotions Ltd in Ross-on-Wye have donated two huge signs to use on the tables, and have printed off hundreds of paper petitions for them to fill with signatures, so there will be no missing the pair!