Community Views Sought on the Future of Care Homes in Argyll and Bute

Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) is launching a major community engagement programme to explore future options for care homes and services for older people.

Your views matter. Have your say, share your ideas, and help shape the future of care in Argyll and Bute. The engagement programme runs from 31 August to 11 October 2026, and we encourage everyone with an interest in the future of local care services to get involved.

This review will consider a range of accommodation and support options that people may choose as their needs change over time, including supported living and residential care. Our aim is to develop a clear long-term vision for accommodation and care services across Argyll and Bute. To do this, we want to understand people's preferences, expectations, and aspirations, including where and how they would like to live as they grow older.

Social care services across Scotland are facing significant challenges. An ageing population and increasing demand for care and support are placing growing pressure on services. At the same time, recruitment and retention difficulties continue to affect the social care workforce, making it more challenging to meet the needs of local communities.

In Argyll and Bute, these challenges are even greater due to the unique circumstances of our rural and island communities. It is therefore essential that future services reflect local needs and deliver the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

As we look ahead, the HSCP is committed to developing a sustainable model of care that can meet future demand for residential care and support. This includes ensuring that care home facilities are fit for the future, responsive to community needs, and capable of delivering high-quality care for generations to come.

Working closely with Argyll and Bute Council and a wide range of partners and stakeholders, we are reviewing how care services can best be delivered in the years ahead.

Effective planning begins with understanding the challenges we face today. To support this work, the HSCP has undertaken a comprehensive assessment of its care homes and the services they provide. This assessment identified several significant challenges across Argyll and Bute, including a projected shortfall in residential care capacity as demand is expected to increase over the next 20 years.

To address these challenges, we are looking ahead to understand how care needs may change in the future. Informed by detailed population analysis and shaped by the views of partners, stakeholders, and local communities, this work will help us plan care services that are sustainable, responsive, and fit for the future. It will also ensure that available resources are used effectively while continuing to meet the needs of those who rely on them.

Now it is your turn to get involved.

This engagement programme is your opportunity to help shape the future of care services in Argyll and Bute. We want to hear your views, ideas, and feedback as we consider how best to meet the future care needs of communities across Argyll and Bute.

There are a number of ways to take part. You can attend one of our drop-in events, join an on-line event, or share your views through surveys and feedback activities. (Further information on how to register for the on-line event in October will be publicised nearer the time.)

You will also be shortly able to explore the proposals and complete the online survey through our Engagement Hub (nhsh.uk.engagementhq.com). Please keep an eye on this page and further information on details of events, engagement activities, and opportunities to share your feedback will be published very soon. Comments can also be submitted by email to nhs.abhscp@nhs.scot

Your views matter. By taking part, you will help inform decisions about the future of care services for older people across Argyll and Bute and contribute to the development of services that meet the needs of communities now and in the years ahead.

Nicola Gillespie, Argyll and Bute HSCP's Head of Service for Complex Care and Registered Services, said:

"Managing care for older people, particularly in rural locations, is extremely complex, and we need community input to help ensure that the most appropriate solutions are identified and that people continue to receive the highest quality of care in the future.

“Public involvement will support more informed and constructive decision-making, helping to achieve the best possible outcomes.

“We also welcome innovative ideas from local people on how services could be developed and improved, based on their own experiences. We must ensure that we can meet future care needs, and by working together to identify the right solutions, we can deliver significant and far-reaching benefits. We seek to ensure the availability of appropriate, high-quality facilities and services that are efficient, sustainable, and affordable for years to come.”

Join us at one of the events below and be part of the conversation. Members of the project team will be available to provide information, answer questions, and discuss the proposals, giving you the opportunity to share your views and have your say on the future of care services in Argyll and Bute.