A REGION-WIDE redesign of community health and care services is gathering momentum, with an £800,000 capital upgrade to four health and social care hubs due early next year.
The investment marks the start of the major transformation phase of Right Care, Right Place – the programme reshaping how support is delivered closer to home across Dumfries and Galloway. The update was presented today to the region’s Integration Joint Board, which heard that while the four sites already host a growing range of services their full potential will only be realised once the redesign work is complete.
Presenting the report, General Manager for Community Health and Social Care Stephanie Mottram said: “The programme is progressing steadily, with important foundations now in place for full hub development over the coming year.
“We are starting to see these sites used in more varied ways. Outpatient appointments, vaccination sessions, Home Teams bases and community-sector activities are all being delivered, but the major physical transformation is still ahead of us.
“The next stage will give us the modern, purpose-designed spaces needed to deliver the full hub model residents expect.”
The report makes clear that while services are being provided from all four sites in Kirkcudbright, Newton Stewart, Thornhill and also in Moffat, where GP services have now been relocated, their use remains limited by the existing hospital-era layouts.
Capital work of around £800,000 is scheduled between February and May 2026 to create hybrid workspaces, consulting rooms, group clinical areas and improved rehabilitation facilities.
The transformation work is described as essential to realising the intended ‘community front door’ model, and temporary disruption to some services is expected during construction.
Alongside this development, the flexible beds model – launched in late 2024 – has supported 165 people in its first year.
Twenty-one beds are now consistently available across the region, providing step-up support from the community, step-down care after hospital stays and respite placements for carers. The report notes that the cost of supporting these individuals would have been significantly higher in community hospitals or acute wards.
However, the model has not yet been used for palliative or end-of-life care, despite this being a priority identified by communities. Clinical barriers and service pressures will now be examined to understand why this aspect has not developed as expected.
The report also acknowledges the need for more consistent data collection to evidence activity levels and system impact through 2026.
Responding to the update, IJB Chair Kim Dams said the board welcomed the progress but recognised that much of the visible change was still to come.
She said: “We are moving in the right direction, but the real test will be delivering a fully operational hub model that residents can clearly experience.
“Our priority now is ensuring the next phase is sustainable, well evidenced and genuinely improves outcomes for the people of Dumfries and Galloway.”