NEW Conservative MP John Lamont insists a health care crisis in the region will be averted, as the government gets set for Brexit talks next week.

Doubt has been cast on the future of the 29 non UK EU nationals who are employed by NHS Borders as immigration has yet to be determined under any exit agreement.

But the newly elected member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk says his party is fighting to ensure European workers have the right to stay to avoid the National Health Service collapsing.

He told the Border Telegraph: “The UK government has made it very clear that the rights of EU nationals to continue to work in the UK will be one of the first items on the agenda when the Brexit negotiations begin shortly. I fully expect a reciprocal agreement to be reached as quickly as possible which protects the rights of UK nationals working in the EU and vice versa. 

“EU nationals working in our NHS make a valuable contribution and there is no suggestion from EU officials that will be threatened going forward.”

NHS Borders, which currently has 22 vacancies, is already heavily dependent on agency and bank staff to fill ward rotas.

And any change in the rights of EU workers would spell disaster for the Melrose-based board. 

Local MSP Christine Grahame said if a solution cannot be found, it would be a “huge blow” for the area. She said: “At one of my recent regular meetings with NHS Borders management, I learned that NHS Borders employs around 30 staff from other EU countries.

“If the UK government drags Scotland out of the EU against out clear wishes to remain, these crucial EU staff, who work in a variety of roles with the health board, will have no guarantee as to their rights to remain working in the UK. To lose 30 staff would be a huge blow to our local hospitals and GP surgeries.

“The Tory UK government has had ample opportunity to give a clear guarantee to EU nationals in the Borders that they will not lose their rights to live and work in the UK if the UK leaves the EU.

"EU nationals deserve to know they are valued and welcome here in Scotland. To date the Tories have refused to give that guarantee.

“NHS Borders is just the latest in a long list of Borders employers who would suffer if Theresa May gets away with wrenching Scotland out of the EU in a hard Brexit.

"Dozens of local businesses in our rural economy who employ EU nationals are deeply worried about the Tory UK government’s reckless approach to negotiations.”