17 November 2025

As we head into the busy winter months, we know our healthcare system will be under significant pressure. We’re doing everything we can to make sure that you and your loved ones get the care you need, but we also need your help. By taking a few simple steps, you can make a big difference in keeping services available for those who need them most.

We’ve put a comprehensive Winter Plan in place to prepare for the challenges ahead. Here are some of the key things we’re doing:

Opening a new Frailty Unit at the Borders General Hospital: This dedicated unit will provide tailored care for older patients and aims to help them return home within four days. It’s not just for winter - it will be a permanent part of our hospital.

Creating an Integrated Discharge Team (IDT): This team will work across our hospitals and social care to make sure patients can leave hospital safely and quickly when they’re ready.

Expanding care at home: We’re increasing capacity in Hospital at Home and Home First services, along with extra social care support, so more people can be cared for in their own homes.

Infection Prevention and Control: We’re also strengthening our infection control measures, including moving to essential visiting quicker during outbreaks. During winter we see more cases of flu, COVID-19, RSV and norovirus in our wards. These can lead to room or whole ward closures depending on the situation. Visitors can unintentionally introduce and spread these illnesses, increasing the risk to our staff and patients who are already really unwell. To keep everyone as safe as possible, where a virus is present in two or more rooms within a ward, the whole ward will be closed, and essential visiting will be put in place.

Examples of “essential visiting” include:

•            a person receiving end-of-life care
•            to support someone with a mental health issue, learning disability, autism or dementia in circumstances where not being present would cause the patient to be distressed
•            when someone is receiving information about life-changing illness or treatments
•            where support from another person is essential for advocacy and wellbeing

What You Can Do

Your actions matter. Here’s how you can help: 

  • Stay Well: Keep active, eat well, manage stress and stay up to date with your vaccinations - including your free COVID-19 and flu jab if you are eligible.
  • Seek the right care in the right place: Start with NHS inform for self-help guides and community pharmacies for help with minor illness; Call NHS 24 on 111 for urgent but non-life-threatening issues, and only use the Emergency Department for serious emergencies like suspected heart attacks, strokes or severe bleeding.
  • Plan Ahead: Order prescriptions early (at least 10 working days in advance) to ensure you have what you need - especially ahead of the festive period, stock up on essentials like paracetamol and cough mixtures, and consider setting up a Power of Attorney to avoid delays in care if you become unwell and unable to make decisions.
  • If you are admitted to hospital: Bring your medications and comfortable clothes (or ask you loved ones to bring them in for you). Be ready to leave hospital – we will start planning your discharge when you are admitted. This is because staying in hospital longer than necessary can harm your health and can lead to loss of independence. That’s why we want to get you home and back to your routine as soon as you are fit to do so.
  • If your loved one is in hospital: If visiting a loved one in hospital, wash your hands regularly and stay home for 48 hours if you’ve been unwell to avoid infecting our patients and staff. Please help support your loved one’s discharge from hospital by being ready and available to collect them as soon as you can or by supporting their discharge to their next place of care if they are unable to return home.

Oliver Bennett, Interim Director of Acute Services at NHS Borders said: "Winter brings extra challenges for health and social care services, and this year will be no different. We’ve worked closely with our teams and partners to make sure we’re as prepared as possible, with new initiatives that will improve patient flow and care year-round. But we can’t do it alone, we need the public’s support to use services wisely, plan ahead and help us keep care moving for those who need it most." 

Gareth Clinkscale, Director of Urgent Care, Community Services and Mental Health said: "One of the most significant changes we’re making this winter is about supporting older patients to recover in the best possible environment. Our new Frailty Unit and expanded community services will help people return home safely and with the right support in place. This is all about improving outcomes and ensuring care continues in a way that works best for patients and their families."  

More information about accessing healthcare can be found here.