Kirkcudbright Hospital campaigners claim they have been "ignored" over facility's future

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Campaigners claim they have been “ignored” over the future of Kirkcudbright Hospital.

A consultation revealed the preferred option of local people was for the site to be re-opened with in-patient beds and some community services.

However, members of the integration joint board (IJB) went with a recommendation to turn it into a community health and social care hub.

Board chairman and Dee and Glenkens Councillor Andy McFarlane insisted the views of locals were “very definitely listened to”.

Save Kirkcudbright Hospital Action Group members Geoff Dean and Mary Mier-Roberts met with IJB members before Tuesday’s meeting.

Mr Dean said afterwards: “We were extremely disappointed that local councillors who are elected to represent their communities mostly did not stand up and oppose the recommendation and follow the lead given by the council in their full committee last week.

“The chair of the IJB in fact is a local councillor, but really did not reflect the views of people in Kirkcudbright, Gatehouse and surrounding areas at all.

“The action group are considering their next actions and will continue to fight for what it believes to be right for our local communities.

“The justification for closing cottage hospitals seems to be around finance, but we believe we are entitled to accessible health services as much as any other community.”

Kirkcudbright Hospital, along with sites in Newton Stewart, Thornhill and Moffat, was mothballed in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic.

Following a consultation, officials recommended each site becomes a community health and social care hub, with in-patient services instead offered by using “flexible intermediate care beds in local care homes”.

Kirkcudbright residents and GPs wanted a combination of two options – re-opening the hospital with a small number of in-patient beds as well as some community services.

That view was also backed at the most recent full council meeting.

At the extraordinary IJB meeting on Tuesday, experts said they had concerns over the return of in-patient facilities, fearing it would be “seriously under supporting” the community to use a large sum of money for a small number of beds and would impact staff resources.

And it was pointed out that re-opening in-patient beds would not tackle the region’s delayed discharge problem as patients moved there would still be deemed to be bed blocking.

Members agreed all four facilities should be turned into hubs, with no in-patient beds.

Local councillor Dougie Campbell said: “Along with the action group I’ve campaigned for over two years for the reopening of the hospital and the board decision disregards the importance of local, in-patient health care in our rural communities.

“It ignores the views of the public who have attended engagement sessions and made their opinions known and the position of my fellow councillors who stated unanimously that the hospital should reopen with a blend of inpatient beds and outpatient services.

“Most significantly for me, however, is that we know that our local GPs wanted the hospital to reopen. They know their community and our health and care needs, so why has their expert opinion been disregarded?

“For me, however, this isn’t over, and I and the action group will now consider fighting the closure at a national level.”

IJB and Dee and Glenkens Councillor Andy McFarlane said: “We’re assured that these models are achievable and sustainable, and are best placed to meet the needs of these communities.

“We very definitely listened to what came through the consultation. Indeed, I attended some of the 15 in-person consultation events which took place right across the region.

“As part of that, we heard people raising calls for a return of in-patient services. But we had to consider whether that’s the right focus, and the right move.

“Our data consistently shows that at any point we actually have more than enough capacity in our hospitals to provide in-patient care for people who have a medical need to be in a hospital – benefiting from the full focus of our trained medical professionals.

“We want to see these sites continue to evolve to meet changing needs. And while we’re aware of calls to go further, with the likes of minor injuries units, we have to be realistic around what we can provide, and what is safe, effective and sustainable at this time.”

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