Public plea as NHS Borders bed-blocking hits record high

The number of patients in hospital who are well enough to go home has reached a record high

An appeal has been made to the public to help bring down record levels of bed-blocking in the Borders.

The latest figures show the average number of patients still in hospital who are well enough to go home has reached an all-time high of 88.

The figure is equivalent to nearly one bed in every three at the Borders General Hospital near Melrose.

Medical director Dr Lynn McCallum has urged families and friends to help improve the situation.

The plea comes just a few weeks after the health board said some operations might need to be cancelled because of a shortage of available hospital beds.

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Now Dr McCallum has asked the public to play its part in tackling the issue in the run-up to Christmas.

"As a doctor, I'm very aware of the potential dangers of people remaining in hospital beyond the time when they require ongoing health care," she said.

She said staff were working "very hard" to try to support people in order to free up beds.

Dr McCallum said that might mean patients coming out of hospital and being moved to a place of care which was "not their first choice".

The health board hopes that can help to improve the situation in the weeks ahead.

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