4 December 2025

NHS Borders public board meeting on Thursday 4 December 2025 saw the launch of our new Clinical Strategy 2025 - 2030, which, as part of the overall Organisational Strategy, sets out a bold vision to transform healthcare across the Scottish Borders.  

Developed through extensive engagement with clinicians, and following feedback from communities gathered at the beginning of the year, the strategy focuses on prevention, person-centred care and equity of access; ensuring services meet the changing needs of our population. 

This strategy was developed by considering four critical questions: 

  • How do we help people keep themselves well? 
  • How do we strengthen Primary and Community Services to support recovery? 
  • How do we make Secondary Care fast, efficient and effective? 
  • How do we ensure equity of access for all patients? 

The Clinical Strategy is built around the different stages of life, making sure everyone in the Borders gets the right care at the right time: 

  • Starting Well - Supporting healthy pregnancies, safe births and giving babies and young children the best start in life. 
  • Growing Well - Helping children and young people stay healthy, active and supported as they develop. 
  • Living Well - Working with adults to prevent illness, manage long-term conditions and promote wellbeing. 
  • Ageing Well - Supporting older people to live independently for as long as possible, with care that fits their needs. 
  • Care Around Dying – Receiving compassionate, personalised care when nearing end of life, with support for loved ones before and after death. 

This approach means services are designed to meet people’s needs from birth through to later life, focusing on prevention, early intervention and care closer to home.  

Sarah Horan, Executive Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals said; “Our Clinical Strategy is about delivering safe, effective and sustainable care for everyone in the Borders. By focusing on prevention, early intervention and delivering care closer to home we will make sure you get the right care, in the right place at the right time. 

“This matters because we have an ageing population in the Borders, with rising levels of long-term conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. We are also facing workforce shortages and financial pressures that require innovative models of care, including digital transformation which will play a key role in improving access and efficiency.

“Our Board Executive team are incredibly grateful to everyone who has been involved in the development of the strategy. It has been a huge effort from staff across NHS Borders including our clinical and support service colleagues. We are starting implementation straight away, focusing first on the actions that matter most to people. Please read the strategy to see how these changes will make care better for you and your family.” 

In addition to the Clinical Strategy, Board members were also presented with an updated Organisational Strategy including a behavioural framework developed following significant staff engagement, and a set of ‘enabling strategies’ to support the delivery of NHS Borders mission which is ‘to enable our communities to keep themselves well, and work towards long term health equity for the people of the Borders.’  The enabling strategies include Partnerships, Digital, People, Quality and Environment and Sustainability. 

For more information and to read the full Clinical Strategy, Organisational Strategy and Enabling Strategies please click here or visit nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/our-future-direction/nhs-borders-strategy-2025-2030/