OVER 1000 people across the region took part in the consultation about the future of four cottage hospitals: Moffat, Kirkcudbright, Thornhill and Newton Stewart.
Extensive consultation took place on the options for each of the facilities with 15 in-person drop-in sessions, virtual sessions, and the opportunity to submit thoughts via online forms.
This round of consultations follows on from a report by Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership (DGHSCP) which stated that the region has nine cottage hospitals, four of which are currently closed- with no immediate plans to re-open them.
Moffat residents have repeatedly indicated that they would like to see their hospital used as the towns medical hub.
Director of strategic planning and transformation for DGHSCP David Rowland has expressed his gratitude to everyone who took part in the consultation.
He said: “I’d like to thank everyone who has responded to the consultation on cottage hospitals, who has taken the time to consider the six potential options which have been developed, as well as the hybrid models developed by some local teams, and who has contributed their thoughts.
“The responses will be considered as part of the decision-making by Dumfries and Galloway Integration Joint Board when they hold an extraordinary meeting on October 29.
“I very much appreciate that people are keen to see certainty over the future of the four cottage hospitals which have been the focus of the consultation.
The results of the consultation will be presented to the DGHSCP’s Joint Integration Board (IJB) who are responsible for making strategic decisions over the future of health and social care at an extraordinary meeting on October 29.
Mr Rowland went on to say that whilst the results will be taken into consideration, the desire outcome is not a guaranteed.
He added: “We don’t know what the IJB’s decision will be for each of these cottage hospitals, but I would ask that people understand the role of a consultation in informing rather than leading this decision-making.
“All the materials which will inform the outcomes will be published on the DGHSCP website ahead of this extraordinary meeting, and I would encourage everyone to take the opportunity to read these in full.”
The documents provided to the IJB to inform their decision will be able to be viewed by visiting the Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care website in the week commencing October 21 at https://dghscp.co.uk/integration-joint-board/integration-joint-board-meetings/
