THE chairman of NHS Borders has issued a rallying cry to stretched staff amid a nationwide crisis to cope with an unprecedented workload.

A flu virus has led to surgeries across the region being inundated with patients.

And demand at Borders General Hospital's Accident and Emergency department has rocketed over the festive period with some patients enduring waits of over 12 hours to be seen.

John Raine, chairman of the health board, circulated a message of thanks to all staff last week.

He said: "I want to say a huge thank you to everyone in NHS Borders for the efforts you are making, and will continue to make, to deal with the pressures we currently face.

“I recognise it has been hard going because of the increasing demand for services, with more patients arriving at the doors of our hospitals.

“Some of our waiting time statistics have taken a setback, but the quality of care is high.”

Demand for treatment and remedies from the A&E department was so high over the Christmas period that senior management issued appeals for patients to self-medicate and use alternative services such as NHS24.

Official statistics indicate that in the week ending on Hogmanay, there were a total of 636 unscheduled patients arrived at the BGH.

Only 82.7 per cent of them were seen within the target time of four hours.

A lack of beds in other wards and an ongoing difficulty in discharging patients led to other hospital departments becoming stretched.

Mr Raine congratulated the professionalism of all staff in maintaining high standards of care throughout the difficult weeks on the wards.

He added: “Some of our waiting time statistics have taken a setback, but the quality of care is high.

"I have personal friends who have had the misfortune of being laid low over Christmas and New Year but who have had the good fortune of being cared for in BGH and their gratitude and that of their family members has been conveyed to me.

"I recognise it has been hard going because of the increasing demand for services, with more patients arriving at the doors of our hospitals and the persistent difficulty we have in being able to discharge patients once they are clinically ready to move on, so aiding the smooth flow of patients.

"I am aware of the huge efforts being made right across the Borders community by staff in GP surgeries and pharmacies, in community hospitals, in our out of hours service, our mental health services, as well as in BGH and by our support service staff.

“As winter continues we are far from being out of the woods but I know vulnerable members of the Borders community can rely on the best possible service when they arrive at our doors.”