Routine operations halted in Borders amid NHS pressures

Staff at Borders General Hospital have been asked if they can work extra hours

Routine operations at Borders General Hospital have been paused until further notice due to "extreme pressures" on the health service.

NHS Borders said Covid, flu and norovirus were also leading to higher than normal levels of staff sickness.

It has asked staff if they are able to work extra hours or shifts over the weekend.

Health chiefs in Dumfries and Galloway have also warned that planned surgery is facing late cancellation in the area due to "unprecedented" pressures.

A range of issues has been blamed for the pressure on health services

Dr Lynn McCallum, the medical director at NHS Borders, said that "extreme pressures" were still being experienced across the health system.

She said Borders General Hospital was at full capacity, and that one ward and the Borders Stroke Unit had been closed to admission due to norovirus outbreaks.

Covid, flu and norovirus were also causing issues in other wards, and had let to higher than normal staff sickness levels.

"To alleviate these pressures, we have taken the difficult decision to pause all routine operations until further notice," she said.

"Affected patients are being contacted directly. Everything possible will be done so that all urgent, cancer and emergency surgeries continue."

She also aked staff who were not working this weekend to consider if they could provide any extra cover.

Meanwhile, Dumfries and Galloway's health and social care partnership (DGHSCP) says it is making "day by day" decisions on its ability to deliver planned surgery.

It said the pressures - greater than during the peak of the Covid pandemic - were being driven by factors including high rates of flu and respiratory illness.

The health board said the situation was unlikely to improve "for some weeks".

It said the late cancellation of surgery was distressing for patients but it reflected "the prioritisation of those with the most immediate and pressing need".

The health board said it was also looking at ways to speed up discharging patients. 

DGHSCP chief officer Julie White said more than 100 people were in hospital beds when their needs could be better met elsewhere

"Our GP practices, mental health teams and community-based health and social care teams are also experiencing unprecedented demands," she said.

"At this very challenging time, our priority has to be to minimise the risk of harm to individuals," she added.