Dalbeattie health centre works start
Health Secretary Alex Neil has performed a turf-cutting ceremony to officially start work on a new £2.5m health centre in Dalbeattie.
Plans for the facility on the Port Road site have been in the pipeline for a number of years.
Despite having planning approval, they were repeatedly knocked back because of a lack of funding.
Last year, the Scottish government announced an investment of £2.3m, allowing the complex to go ahead.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway said it would provide a fit-for-purpose, comfortable and safe facility for patients and staff, and would increase capacity for the existing GP practice.
After the turf-cutting ceremony, the health secretary visited the recently-opened renal unit at Kirkcudbright hospital.
It can cater for up to 12 patients and provides three additional dialysis stations for the region.