SNP MSP for the South of Scotland Aileen McLeod today (Tuesday) submitted the results of her survey on NHS services for Wigtownshire to NHS Dumfries & Galloway today. The survey shows clear support for the care given by local GPs with over 98% happy or very happy with their GP practice.
65% of respondents seek more out-patient provision so that people did not have to travel to Dumfries. Of these 54% wanted more consultants’ appointments or tele-consultations in Stranraer and 46% wanted more outpatient clinics. There was also demand for minor surgery procedures to be carried out in Stranraer.
As regards the future of Darataigh itself, 44% of respondents who answered the question supported it remaining as it is now with 19% supporting its use for mental health respite care in the future.
Aileen commented:
“I am very grateful indeed to everyone who responded to my survey, the results of which I have now sent to NHS Dumfries & Galloway ahead of them making a decision on the future of Darataigh some time after the end of May.
“In many respects I do not think it will come as a surprise – there is strong support for, and appreciation of, GP services in the west. There is also clearly considerable frustration at having to travel to Dumfries for Consultants’ appointments and an equally clear desire for more appointments and tele-consultation facilities to be available in the west.
“On the future of Darataigh there was clear support for the facility remaining open either as it is at present or for the provision of respite care in the future. Taken together, 63% of respondents who answered that question supported either the status quo or its use for respite care in the future.
“I hope that NHS Dumfries & Galloway will take this into account as the Board considers what to do next – and not only as far as Darataigh is concerned – because this survey also demonstrates a clear desire for more services to be provided in Stranraer.”
