Item 11 Appendix 1
West Dunbartonshire Council · 20 August 2026
Back to Community Planning West Dunbartonshire Management Board — 20 August 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Alexandria Pilot Survey Findings September 2025 HSCP & Communities Team ITEM 11 - APPENDIX 1
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The West Dunbartonshire Community Planning Partnership have come together in a joint project to look into access to services in the Alexandria area. Alexandria was chosen as a specific area of interest after a needs assessment conducted in 2024 highlighted very different responses to other areas of West Dunbartonshire around access to local services. Due to this anomaly, a pilot project has been commissioned by the Community Planning West Dunbartonshire Board to investigate how the Alexandria communities access their services and identify any areas of improvement - Alexandria Community Profile Needs Assessment - Q:\Communities Team\CPWD\2024_25 proposed approach\Alexandria Needs Assessment report 050623.html An initial phase of the project was to undertake focused community engagement to understand what, ‘access to services’ means for local people. The Communities Team and Health and Social Care Partnership worked together to deliver this engagement during July and September 2025. This report summarises the findings. Findings will be shared with Community Planning West Dunbartonshire Management Board to support the creation of a pilot scheme to help people have easier access to local services in the Alexandria area.
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ALEXANDRIA PILOT SURVEY Before we ask you our questions, we want to know what services matter to you the most in Alexandria? Top 3 Health services (GP appointments, clinics, etc) Travel services (Buses, trains, public pathways) Community services (Community hubs, public parks, libraries) Health services (GP appointments, clinics, etc) Information services (Citizens Advice, unpaid carers advice, etc) Support services (Benefit support, housing support, education support, etc) Travel services (Buses, trains, public pathways) Social Care services (Care at Home, Day Care services, Community Alarms) Community services (Community hubs, public parks, libraries) 24% 14% 14% 20% 20% 14%
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Do you have any thoughts on how the WDC and WDHSCP could make the information about the services they provide clearer to the community of Alexandria? A leaflet drop with all services available locally / quarterly community newsletter Have an app with all the info available. Your website is too basic to be useful Return the One-Stop Shop / open a Services Hub on Mitchell Way Staff training to know what services are available and where, often incorrect information is given Email to update on changes to services / community notice board Make appointments available after standard working times instead of having to take unpaid time off to attend Making appointments more accessible for those who actually need them More info at libraries Feel everything is geared towards non workers so when someone really needs it’s not accessible
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Do you have any thoughts on how the WDC and WDHSCP could do to make services more available in the Alexandria area? Have you experienced a time where you could not access a service within the Alexandria area for whatever reason? Yes 78% No 22% • A one-stop shop would help with this / A local services hub/ Office in Alexandria town centre.. eg.Mitchell Way/community centre • More staff to answer telephone calls / More staff, more services, local access • Better bus routes. Removal of hospital bus without consultation but knowledge of WDHSCP was unacceptable • There needs to be a hospital bus running for public again as absolute disgrace people who don’t drive can’t get to Paisley to visit relatives. • Service access has been curtailed due to required savings, expectation that people will travel but local transport services are not well connected • More joined up and streamlined services between pharmacies and surgeries • Actually provide services in the town and make them accessible to all including extended opening • Just make them available and accessible. A lot of stuff is at the library, which I am unable to access as the car park ain’t fit for disabled people, then the entrance for those who are disabled is around the back • Better parking for disabled and pavements to be lowered. Disabled people need to walk the longest distances to cross the road or access shops
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• Gave up as no one to speak to • Services are not available in Alexandria—housing, SW, etc. • Not available to walk into, mostly online/telephone • CAB closed, no welfare rights • Banks closing, no regular post office or police station • Police not based locally so had to try to contact the Dumbarton office • Difficulties in getting GP appointments, accessing NHS community physiotherapy services • Not being able to make a GP appointment more than a few weeks in advance causes frustration • Appointments outwith WD area had much shorter waiting lists • Council services were at one time easily available in Alexandria: the registry office, council services, rent and housing as well as police, also citizens advice all gone • Short staffed / No staff or service available / poor staff in home care If you have answered yes to the above question, what stopped you from accessing the service you were looking to use? You can share as little or as much information as you like.
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Have any thoughts on how the WDC and the WDHSCP could improve how satisfied people feel when using services within Alexandria? • Have more facilities to access them, i.e. drop in centres • Put information in community venues / Better publicity of location of services • Take more responsibility for ensuring adequate local service provision centre/offices/access to walk in in town / Make services more readily available / making it more Accessible and not hiding behind so called internet and telephone services • Open surgery’s back up to pre covid levels / Can never get appointments unless they are a few weeks away not good enough • Look at the budgets and ensure money coming in from the area is spent on the area / Investment in direct services that help people, not superfluous advisory lines which could be supplied through AI • Keep services local instead of taking them away. Even if we travel for services it needs to be somewhere easy to get to, Paisley is too much hassle to get to from Alexandria • My appointments in Gartnavel have now been transferred to Stobhill on a Saturday. This is not ideal as I work and this affects my weekends off • Actually think about who uses the services. What is a disability? What do hidden disabilities look like and how do they actually affect people • Pavement designs. Crossings
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Is there anything else you would like to feedback about service accessibility within Alexandria? • No comprehensive housing service even for homeless applicants. No face-to-face SW service • Access to a better A&E instead of travelling to Glasgow and Paisley / Public transport is poor and getting worse so it’s becoming impossible to get to appointments even within WD area • Services do not seem to be supporting the high number of older / ageing adults, who give up trying to get appointments and any preventative measures are lost creating more emergencies for health and social care. • Pre COVID things worked well now it's ridiculous / there is very little to reassure people / everything is a dam fight, it’s not on, get it sorted, all this ‘debate this debate that’ just sort the dam mess • WDC has removed accessibility to their services from Alexandria. Our so called leisure centre has now been turned into offices by the Dumbarton Leisure service leaving three areas for lets to local groups. The small rooms which local groups could let have been taken over by health services and the three so called areas available are not suitable for small groups to use as you have to access them through other rooms • In particular with regards to the Health Centre I would suggest a proper reception desk close to the public car park entrance would be easier for patients / visitors to find out where they are to check in for their appointments. At the moment it is misleading and could easily be improved by this suggestion • More time if you need it with doctor e.g. able to discuss more than one ailment • Whatever you decide to do, make sure it is accessible to the people of Alexandria. There are too many services being taken away or moved to digital first to the detriment of the public • The whole area needs to be rethought in regards of accessibility for all
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Conversations: Comments gleaned from service users at the Vale Centre for Health and Care – common themes emerging • Having no A&E is a concern • Terrible bus connections to other hospitals / health centres • Irregular travel links • Worries about future closures of more services • Have to travel on bus to RAH with 4 kids and then wait for up to 4 hours for return transport – totally unacceptable Focus Group: Bridge Court Independent Living Complex, Alexandria Met with 20 residents to ask their opinion on the survey questions. Demographic is 60+ years. Feedback: Health • 8am calls are useless to try and get a doctor’s appointment – asked to call back then situation worsens and hospitalisation required • Needs to be more appointments • Waiting on phone for 30 minutes is not something I can do • Waiting times are too long • Bus to Paisley – we have heard that you have to book and only allowed to travel with a carer not a family member • Keep Vale hospital open • Joined up services failing – released from hospital and no carer organised • No access to chiropody • Service delivery needs improvement • Would like Covid / medical attention in Independent Living Complex rather that the Community Centre • Inform of service updates through printed information / speak to us • Travel to outside hospitals is a problem for visiting • Don’t feel listened to • Had to rely on family to get to Paisley hospital Council • Pavements are a danger to navigate walking unaided or with a stick / wheelchair • Pavements are an eyesore • More face to face services • Service delivery needs improvement • Inform of service updates through printed information / speak to us • No information / no confidence in Councillors • Need a One-Stop-Shop / face to face service • Getting to the right person is a nightmare – get passed about • Lack of knowledge – need staff training • Stop cutting jobs
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Community • No central location – Hub / CAB • Likes to visit Fountain Café but hazardous getting there • Post Office service would help • Would like shoe / clothes shops • No Police presence on patrol • Bank is closing • Don’t feel listened to • Make places / venues more accessible • Community notice board • It’s a dump Travel • No direct bus service to Glasgow • Timetables are a waste of time • Travel to outside hospitals is a problem for visiting • Service delivery needs improvement • Feel shut off • Services in the Vale are being cut – at Christmas trains are stopping for a week (Bowling bridge works) Focus Group – Carers of West Dunbartonshire Common issues highlighted: • Bus service to and from Paisley RAH is shocking • No local A&E makes it very difficult • Huge differences in quality of GP services • ‘Cared for’ patients files should be tagged with Carer details– therefore allowing Carers to access info re appointments and other significant health information • “A Few Good Men” Carers of WD are very good • What about an “Ask my GP” APP roll-out across all GPs • Receive information via a pamphlet with services and contact numbers • Receive information relating to social and educational activities in the area • Run a Community Hub once a month • Support to complete forms • Access to advice is an issue – welfare rights / benefits • Carers liaison contact within HSCP • Availability of respite for carers • Contact for substitute care when emergency cover is needed • Carers drop-in for Alexandria • More social events for meeting up • People abusing blue badge parking spaces • Trip hazards on Mitchell Way • Care of gardens
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Note: Staff at Vale Centre for Health and Care did not know where to access info about the NHS 340 Shuttle Bus direct to Paisley hospital. Called Vale hospital and although they had a timetable they could not inform where this could be accessed. On NHS website it states ‘The service timetable and the pick-up and drop-off locations for each site will be published in the coming weeks.’ Transport update between Vale of Leven Hospital and Royal Alexandra Hospital - NHSGGC but there is not yet a published timetable. A picture of the timetable for the direct bus is here New NHS Shuttle Bus to Launch Between Vale of Leven and Royal Alexandra Hospitals – Paisley Photographs Qualitative data from Communications Plan Survey 2022 As part of the Community Empowerment Communications Strategy a survey was carried out across the 17 Community Council areas. The feedback below relates to the question “How would you improve your area?” and pertains specifically to Alexandria. 36 Respondents. There were no health related prompts. • Address issues of poverty / inequality • Support for children and families • Improve the appearance of the community • Maintain zebra crossings, roads, pavements and signage • Maintain or remove derelict buildings • Make use of waste ground • History recognised and honoured • Bring people and businesses together • Improve services and infrastructure • More activities for younger people • Opportunities for community to come together – car boot sale / event • Encourage retailers to open shops not takeaways • Reduce crime, litter & dog waste • Road safety - speed cameras / bumps • Improved resident consultation • Affordable spaces for groups to hire • Community advertising board • A centre for children with ASN • Mitigate climate change
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Recommendations 1. In response to the points raised regarding the lack of appointments or issues with transport to appointments - Explore option to duplicate the “Near Me” Hub which operates in Clydebank Library. Possible venues include Alexandria library or the community centre. For info: The new “Near Me” Hub is now open in Clydebank Library! West Dunbartonshire Council has launched a brand new space in Clydebank Library where residents can easily access council and community services, get support with housing, benefits and welfare, and speak with friendly staff who are ready to help. Located right in the heart of Clydebank, the Near Me Hub makes it simpler than ever to find the advice and guidance you need. Just drop in during library hours — no appointment required. Read more on this here; New Near Me Hub Launches in Clydebank Library | West Dunbartonshire Council 2. In response to the points raised regarding the lack of some kind of contact centre / One Stop Shop (which used to be present in Mitchell Way) - Explore option to host pop-up Hubs within Alexandria. Possible venues include Alexandria library or the community centre. These could facilitate a drop-in service for residents to meet staff face-to-face regarding Council queries, SW, Housing, benefit advice – multi- agency presence. This could operate fortnightly / monthly. 3. In response to ideas relating to how to get the message out there and promote services and update changes. I. Promote existing ‘Alexandria CC Noticeboard’ facebook page (1) Alexandria CC Notice Board | Facebook with a point of contact to post news. II. Erect a community noticeboard.
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III. A simple App costs upwards of £10K to develop and therefore not a justifiable expense. IV. The Council could set up either a bespoke Padlet or Facebook information page with service guides pertinent to local areas – Alexandria / Dumbarton / Clydebank – an online One-Stop-Shop with up-to-date contact numbers and trained staff to answer calls and find solutions. Further Reading 1. Leven Ward Locality Plan e-dig-appendix-1_leven-locality-plan-24-v3-final.docx 2. Reports: Alexandria Local Living / Tell-us-about-your-place-responses Matthew Spurway – Placemaking Co-Ordinator Matthew.Spurway@west-dunbarton.gov.uk