Scheduled routine operations at Borders General cancelled until September 5

The chief executive of NHS Borders has said it will take years for the health board to recover from the knock-on effects of the pandemic.

Ralph Roberts made the comments after it was announced that Borders General Hospital has cancelled all scheduled routine operations for the rest of this month.

NHS Borders announced on August 12 that these kinds of procedures would be cancelled for two weeks.

Yesterday, it announced that this situation would be extended until September 5 because of "very high demand for in-patient beds" at the hospital, outside Melrose. This includes an increase in patients who need treatment for Covid-19, with 13 in the hospital at present.

The health board has also announced that anyone affected would be contacted directly.

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A spokesperson for the health board said:

"Taking this decision is not easy but it is necessary to make sure that we are able to continue vital services during this challenging time.

They added: "We are currently reviewing our Outpatient appointment lists to identify if we need to reduce some of this activity. It is important to note that this is currently being reviewed, please continue to attend your appointment unless you are contacted by a member of our team - we will contact anyone affected directly."

The spokesperson also urged people to treat NHS staff with respect and to act respobsibly when it came to Covid-19 by following rules and guidance on the virus. They also urged everyone to make sure they come forward for their first and second doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

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