A cash crisis has cast doubt over the future of vital care services in South Ayrshire.
Council bosses have opened a review into the financial meltdown in their health and social care sector.
A review of day services and day hospitals has been launched against a backdrop of debts breaching £8m in the care budget.
An ongoing review into the region’s two care homes is also hanging a cloud over the elderly and vulnerable.
It comes as bosses start the new financial year with a mountain to climb and huge savings to make across their care services.
Talks have begun with staff at units across the county in a bid to identify possible savings.
And council officials this week said they had to approach the task in a “realistic way” with growing demand set against reduced financial resources.
A spokesman said: “Initial discussions are currently underway with service providers and service user representatives.
More detailed consultation and engagement with service users is planned before any decisions are made by the Partnership’s Integrated Joint Board and South Ayrshire Council, as appropriate.”
They added that the ongoing review of care homes recognised the “limited capacity within the sector and the finite amount of money available to fund care home places”.
South Ayrshire Council currently runs two day care centres alongside the residential homes.
