Carer services throughout Ayrshire are struggling with “increases in demand” and system delays amidst the mounting crisis in the local NHS.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran says ‘care at home’ services have been particularly hit hard with users experiencing changes to their care packages, visit times, and carers.

The issues come in conjunction with the “overwhelming demand” NHS Ayrshire and Arran is seeing in general.

A health board spokesperson said: “These pressures are also being faced in our social care services across East, North and South Ayrshire.

“In particular, Care at Home services in the three health and social care partnerships are being particularly affected by increases in demand, as well as workforce challenges.

“Unfortunately, this means that service users may experience changes to their care packages, including revised visit times or services being provided by staff members who are not their usual carers.

“There are also currently delays with new requests for care being put in place.”

On January 10, the board announced plans to tackle the congestion throughout NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

The plans include asking families with relatives in hospital to consider “alternative care” packages such as “interim stays” in care homes, and asking them to consider whether they could temporarily support their relative at home.

Additionally, GPs have been asked to only see urgent and priority cases as well as delaying non-priority and non-day care surgeries for three weeks.

The health board also says that on January 9 Ayrshire’s biggest hospitals, at Crosshouse and Ayr, had reached full capacity despite all possible beds being open.