The County Air Ambulance has been praised for providing swift help to the daughter of district councillor Heather Kidd after she suffered an asthma attack in Chirbury last Saturday.
But Councillor Kidd – also Lib Dem parliamentary spokesman for Ludlow – is concerned after an ambulance station 10 minutes away at Welshpool did not answer their call.
“I can’t praise them enough,” said Councillor Kidd. “They were outstanding in their professionalism and care. We cannot thank them enough for all they did for her, they were simply the best.
“But, I’m concerned that response times to rural areas are far, far too long. It took 30 minutes for the ambulance to get here. We have ambulances at Welshpool – just 10 minutes away – but no one answered.”
The air ambulance took just five minutes to transport their patient from her home in Chirbury to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
“This obviously shows the benefits of the Air Ambulance in rural areas,” Councillor Kidd added.
“It is a great pity that it has to be run by donations and fundraising in the community.”
The issue is to be raised by Church Stretton district councillor Dr Charles West with the SCC’s health scrutiny committee.