The statement from Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf came swiftly after MSP Finlay Carson raised the issue of Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbright and Newton Stewart in Holyrood earlier this week.
He said: “Cottage hospitals are vital in tackling the endemic problem of delayed discharge, which has a knock-on impact throughout the whole healthcare system, particularly in A&E departments.
“There is no doubt that people should expect that health services are delivered as near to home as possible. Those include the kind of services which were delivered from our much valued cottage hospitals but now halted as the result of the pandemic.
“Patients rightly expect health facilities to be available on a local level and not have to travel great distances.
“This is why I think it is vital for the provision of step-down care and palliative care beds, which was previously available in cottage hospitals like the one in Newton Stewart are re-introduced in new or upgraded facilities.
“In my area, three hospitals have, in effect, been mothballed since early 2020. Kirkcudbright, Newton Stewart and Castle Douglas hospital have a capacity of more than 36 beds.
“However from what I understand, NHS Dumfries and Galloway do not intend to carry out a review until next spring which is an unacceptable delay. I will be pressing them to undertake it as quickly as possible.
“What action will the cabinet secretary take to reopen those hospitals or to provide new fit-for-purpose facilities to provide the services, including palliative and step-down care, that cottage hospitals effectively delivered in the past, in order to reduce pressure?
In response, Humza Yousaf said: “Finlay Carson asks an important question. I hope that he appreciates that really difficult decisions were made during the pandemic, as we needed staff in acute sites that were exceptionally busy.
“He, other members and local health boards are right to push me on whether cottage hospitals could be reopened to tackle, for example, delayed discharge by transferring patients from acute settings to facilities that provide step down care.
“Our challenge in that regard is staffing but I will look at the issue. In the context of Dumfries and Galloway, I will look at the three cottage hospitals that Finlay Carson mentioned.
“I promise him that the possibility of reopening cottage hospitals is being explored in our plans.”
