Nearly 2,000 patient falls recorded in Dumfries and Galloway during course of 2024
Nearly 2,000 patient falls were recorded in Dumfries and Galloway last year.
And the number of falls recorded has risen by more than a third in the space of five years.
The figures were revealed following a series of freedom of information requests by Scottish Labour.
South Scotland Labour MSP Colin Smyth said: 'Falls can be life-changing for older and more vulnerable patients.
'Figures in Dumfries and Galloway have increased by a third since 2019, which is shocking.
'With long queues at accident and emergency and out-of-date hospitals, hard-working NHS staff are already stretched to breaking point.
'The SNP must act now to ensure that patients don't come to unnecessary harm because of the condition of the estate or overcrowding.'
NHS Dumfries and Galloway was one of nine health boards which saw a rise in patient falls between 2019 and 2024.
There were 1,976 recorded falls in 2024, compared to 1,478 in 2019 – an increase of 34 per cent.
There have already been 704 falls recorded in 2025.
Across Scotland, there were 282,385 falls in 2024 – which represented a five per cent increase on the 2019 tally of 43,358.
An NHS Dumfries and Galloway spokesman said: 'An increase in falls is an indicator of increased frailty –- and we have seen the numbers of people coming into hospital with underlying frailty increase over recent years.
'This is reflective of an older population, and can be an indicator of a general health decline among these populations within our communities.
'Work takes place to address movement of people while in hospital, noting the potential for rapid deconditioning – with muscle mass lost for every day someone spends in a chair or in bed.
'Teams need to balance the risk of increased deconditioning by maintaining mobility against the risk of falls while someone is in hospital.
'A falls risk assessment and management plan is completed for those identified as being at risk of falling, and we have worked with boards across Scotland to improve patient safety and reduce risk, with programmes in place to maintain mobility.
'There is also work aimed at preventing people from coming into hospital, which is a major focus of our Home Teams and Hospital at Home work.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/dumfries-galloway
'This reflects the fact that hospitals are clinical settings and not always the safest place for frail, older people who are already identified as vulnerable.
'A key objective amid our ongoing work is to ensure that people who no longer have a medical need to remain in hospital return safely home or to a homely setting as quickly as possible.'
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Patient safety is paramount and Scottish Ministers are committed to ensuring all health and care is safe, effective and patient-centred.'In 2025-26, NHS boards received increased investment in their baseline funding, bringing total investment to over £16.2 billion.'And the Scottish Government's Budget is providing more than £1 billion in capital investment, with £140 million additional funding targeted at high risk areas of maintenance and repair of the existing estate, equipment and digital replacement.'
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