VISITING restrictions across NHS Borders sites will be eased from next week, the health board has confirmed.

NHS Borders “regrettably” reverted to essential hospital visits only in August in a step to ease the “immense pressure” on its services.

However, from Monday (October 4), every patient will be able to have one person identified to visit them.

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Sarah Horan – director of nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals – said: “The importance of support from family members and loved ones to people in hospital cannot be overstated.

“Visiting brings comfort to both the person in hospital and their family, friends or carers.

“We know that this family support has a positive impact on the nutrition, healing, recovery and overall quality of care of our patients.

“Given this, family support should be a fundamental part of the care of a person in hospital and we have worked hard to ensure that we have appropriate infection prevention and control measures in place to enable this.”