17 December 2025
The dedicated Frailty Unit at Borders General Hospital opened this week.
This new permanent service will provide rapid assessment and tailored care for older patients, aiming to help them return home, or to their next place of care, within four days. This is because staying in hospital longer than necessary can harm your health and lead to loss of independence. That’s why we want to get patients home and back to their routine as soon as they are fit to do so.
Supported by a team of specialist healthcare professionals, the unit will provide safe, effective care and help patients return home sooner, reducing the negative impact long hospital stays can have on physical and mental wellbeing.
We’re asking families and carers to support us by helping their loved ones prepare for discharge before 12 noon. This could include straightforward but important steps such as making sure the heating is on at home, stocking the fridge with essentials, being available to collect loved ones in the morning and helping them settle back at home.
Gareth Clinkscale, Director of Urgent Care, Community Services and Mental Health, said: “We are delighted our new Frailty Unit is now open. Our dedicated team will focus on rapid assessment and tailored care ensuring our older patients get the care they need quickly and are supported to return home or to their next place of care within a few days.
“By working together with families and carers, we will improve outcomes and ensure care continues in a way that works best for patients and their families."