Military personnel start work at NHS Borders as it warns of 'long waits' at emergency department

NHS Borders has warned about long waits in its emergency department at the Borders General Hospital and urged patients to respect its staff.

This has come on the day that military personnel have spoken for the first time about supporting the health board with pressures caused by Covid-19 and the backlog in treatment.

In a post on its Facebook page, NHS Border said there are "currently long waits due to high levels of demand" at the emergency department, outside Melrose.

The health board has also encouraged people to consider whether they need emergency treatment.

Patients have been warned of delays at Borders General Hospital. Credit: ITV Border

Twenty-one military personnel from both the British Army and Royal Navy have began their work with the health board.

Earlier this year its medical director said it was facing "unprecedented challenges" as a result of the current situation. It has also had to cancel routine operations.

Part of the military personnel's role will be to enable the health board to get these routine operations going again.

NHS Borders is one of three health boards in Scotland which is receiving military help. the others are NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Grampian.