Health and care services face record £58m deficit

Health and social care services are facing a record deficit

Health and social care services in south west Scotland are facing a record forecast deficit of £58m.

Dumfries and Galloway's Integration Joint Board (IJB) - which includes both the health board and council - has been told savings of £30m still need to be found for 2025/26.

Balanced accounts were only achieved in the previous financial year thanks to emergency funding.

Chief officer Gareth Marr said that although staff and communities had shown "remarkable resilience" the pressures on health and social care were "mounting".

"Without urgent renewal, we will struggle to keep pace with the needs of local people," he said.

Accounts confirmed that a break-even position in 2024/25 was only achieved thanks to £22.6m extra from the NHS centrally and £1.8m from the council

Reserves also fell by more than half from £8.8m to £4.1m.

Mr Marr said: "We are not just facing a financial gap - we are facing a fundamental test of how we deliver care.

"Transformation is not optional; it's essential."

The board was told demand for emergency care was rising, hospital discharges were being delayed and waiting lists were growing.

"The pressure is system-wide, with social care facing more people waiting for support at home and fewer residential places available," a statement added.

Cottage hospitals

Among the steps being taken to address the situation is the development of four cottage hospitals as community hubs and an initiative to help patients gain full independence more quickly after leaving hospital.

A separate report to the IJB showed that the council's delegated social care budget was already under "severe strain".

By the end of June, services faced £12.5m in additional pressures - driven by rising demand in learning disability and older people's care, as well as higher energy and staffing costs.

Mr Marr said: "Our priority remains the same – safe, effective, compassionate care for local people - but we must deliver it in new ways or otherwise risk letting down those who need us most."