Call NHS24 before visiting BGH due to extreme pressure on staff

That way they will be able to wait in the comfort of their own home before being given an appointment if required.

However if their condition is life threatening they should call 999.

NHS Borders have tonight instigated their ‘surge capacity’ plans and are now working round the clock to take care of patients.

In a statement earlier today (Tuesday April 12 2022) Chief Executive Ralph Roberts said “Due to extreme pressures the Borders General Hospital is at capacity. Our beds are full and our Emergency Department is exceptionally busy, with a number of people requiring admission.

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

Our surge capacity plans are in place and we can assure you that we are doing everything we can to make beds available as soon as we can.

Before you attend the Emergency Department please call NHS 24 on 111 first and they will signpost you to the right place to get the advice or care that you need.

“You may need to wait a while for your call to be answered or for a member of the team to call you back, but this can be done in the comfort of your own home. If you do need to be seen you may be given an appointment time to minimise the time you need to spend in the department. This also reduces pressure on our team.

“If you think that your condition is immediately life threatening you should call 999.

“If your family member is fit to be discharged from hospital, please help us to get them home quickly when they are well enough by being ready and available to collect them or support their discharge to their next place of care.

“Please understand that we cannot always offer the preferred next place of care in the location that you would choose, and we may ask you to compromise. Working with us to accept this means that we can get the flow through our hospitals moving, and offer care to the maximum amount of people who need it.”