In-patient return ruled out at cottage hospitals

A return of in-patient services at four cottage hospitals across Dumfries and Galloway has been ruled out after a review.

The region's health and social care partnership examined a range of options for the sites at Moffat, Thornhill, Newton Stewart and Kirkcudbright.

Campaigners had argued that reopening beds at the hospitals could ease pressure on services and deliver better rural care.

However, it has now been decided to develop them to provide a "range of important services" for their communities instead.

The decision was taken at an extraordinary meeting of Dumfries and Galloway's Integration Joint Board (IJB).

It was looking at a range of possibilities from reinstating in-patient care to closing the sites completely.

The four hospitals stopped taking in-patients during the Covid pandemic and have never resumed the service.

That prompted a review and wide consultation on what to do with the sites dotted across the region.

Andy McFarlane, who chairs the IJB, said the outcome "guaranteed the future" of the cottage hospitals.

He said they still had an important role to play but that it "must evolve to best meet the changing needs of our population".

It will see them developed as "community hubs" with a range of day and outpatient services offered.

In Moffat, the building will be adapted to serve as a new permanent base for the town's GP practice.

Mr McFarlane said they had listened to the views that came through during consultation - including calls for a return of in-patient services.

However, he said their data consistently showed that they had enough capacity in their hospitals to provide in-patient care for those who had a "medical need" to be in hospital.

He stressed the decision was not one which had been "taken lightly".

Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Finlay Carson said the decision was "incredibly disappointing".

He said people had wanted to see a blended service with the return of at least some beds.

He said: "Once again the IJB has failed to deliver the ambitions of the public consultation exercise.

"It has failed to listen to the views of the general public in making their decision.

“Why go to the bother of asking people what they want only to disregard them – just like they did with maternity services in Wigtownshire?".

South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth accused the health partnership of "shameful spin" by describing a "hub with no beds" as a hospital.

He said it was only a matter of time before sites in Annan, Lochmaben, Castle Douglas and Langholm met a similar fate.

"The public consultation made clear that patients and staff wanted a return of inpatient services and that isn't happening," he said.

"Members of the IJB have treated the public with contempt by ignoring their own consultation.

"They have acted appallingly by pitching the concept of community hubs verses in-patient beds, when you could have both."