MOVES to bolster health services in Wigtownshire have been praised by Cabinet Secretary Shona Robison.
During a visit to the region on Monday, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport first visited Newton Stewart Hospital before travelling to Galloway Community in Stranraer – praising investment in services such as ophthalmology, endoscopy and dialysis.
Ms Robison said: “I am delighted to see services right across Wigtownshire being developed, particularly the extension of the ophthalmology, endoscopy and dialysis at the Galloway Community Hospital, meaning more people can be treated locally.
“The upgrading of endoscopy services has increased capacity and ensured more procedures can be carried out in Stranraer, improving the quality of health care for people right across the region.”
Work began this week on a significant financial investment to replace and upgrade the Clean Water Plant required for the dialysis treatment on site – making the system as good as any that exists in any dialysis facility in Scotland.
Speaking during the visit, General Manager Acute and Diagnostics Nicole Hamlet said: “We were pleased to welcome the Cabinet Secretary to Wigtownshire. It was great to see that Ms Robison fully understood and appreciated the importance of the services we provide – and our ongoing commitment to sustaining and developing those services.”
Ms Robison was met at the hospital by a gathering of Galloway Community Hospital Action Group, who were keen to express their support for the facility and its work.
And in a meeting with Ms Robison and NHS representatives at the end of the tour, members of the group as well as Stranraer and the Rhins councillor Willie Scobie voiced enthusiasm to work together to develop health and social care services – noting the new Transforming Health and Social Care in Wigtownshire Programme.
Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership Wigtownshire Locality Manager June Watters said: “This ground-breaking project is founded on the principal of the community working jointly, as partners, with the NHS, council, third sector and independent sector to redevelop health and social care services from the ground up.
“We’re very pleased that members of the community with obvious passion and knowledge are willing to work in partnership on such an important piece of work which it’s expected will quickly deliver real benefits.”
