Borders General Hospital cancels routine operations due to 'extreme pressures'

All routine operations in a major Borders hospital have been cancelled as it has reached full capacity.

Borders General Hospital has called off planned procedures for the next week, following what the NHS Trust running the facility has described as 'extreme pressures'.

The hospital has been hit by a combination of pressures - including beds being fully occupied, Covid outbreaks and staff absences, and an exceptionally busy A&E department.

Both Ward 9 at the Hospital and Hay Lodge Hospital in Peebles are closed because of Covid.

Scotland has seen the number of patients with coronavirus jump 34% week on week, to 1,298 on June 26.

Ralph Roberts, Chief Executive of NHS Borders said: "In order to alleviate these pressures, reluctantly all planned routine operations have been cancelled this week.

"Everything possible will be done so that urgent cancer and emergency surgery continues during this time. We are truly sorry to the patients affected by these decisions.  

"This is a very challenging situation and our staff are working round the clock to care for their patients."

The hospital has activated surge capacity plans to try to make beds available, and to allow the continuation of planned operations as soon as possible.

People are now being urged to ring 111 before attending the Emergency Department unless their condition is life-threatening, in which case they need to call 999.

Those with relatives ready to be discharged from hospital are being encouraged to support the discharge of their loved ones to their next place of care by working with professionals at Borders General.

In doing so, the hospital says it can keep the offering care the maximum amount of people who need it.

Borders General Hospital says it is contacting all patients who are directly affected by the cancelled operations.

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