Dumfries & Galloway Health & Social Care

Wigtownshire maternity consultation

A CALL is being made for everyone to have their say on two options for the future of maternity services in Wigtownshire. The consultation will run from 20th November 2023 until at least 11th February 2024.

A series of in-person events and an online survey will set out the options to provide a birthing service for pre-planned, ‘low-risk’ births – which represent around 23% of all pregnancies in Wigtownshire.

Engagement earlier in 2023 gathered the thoughts of stakeholders, including service users and staff. The work took place under the direction of independent chairs, and the findings were used to develop several different options for birthing services.

After the options were scored, two shared first place. One was for the current arrangements, providing only for low-risk home births. The second option would allow pre-planned births within Galloway Community Hospital, but only for the same relatively small number of low-risk births and with the same level of support provided for home births.

This second option was narrowly preferred by the independent chairs when the scores by local professional NHS staff were excluded.

More information on the independent review

The full report of the independent review

Both options are now the subject of this formal consultation. Its findings will be used to help develop a recommendation which will be brought to Dumfries and Galloway Integration Joint Board.

More information

Background information pack on maternity services in Wigtownshire

A two-page summary of the information pack

Animation explaining the consultation

To take part in the consultation

Click here to complete our online survey

Click here to download the survey – you can print it out and return it to us by post

Click here to download a copy of our Easy Read survey

Or attend one of our in-person events:

Stranraer Library – 30th November 2023, 1230-1530

Lesser Parish Church Hall, Lochancroft Lane, Wigtown – 6th December 2023, 1000-1200

McMillan Hall, Newton Stewart – 6th December 2023, 1330-1530

Online meetings – 12th and 17th January 2024, all day (email to book your one-hour slot)

For more information, to return a completed consultation document, or to book your online meeting slot, please contact:

Communications Team

DGRI

A75

Cargenbridge

DG2 8RX

Email: dgcommunications@nhs.scot