Borders General Hospital Emergency Department 'currently very busy' health chiefs warn
'If you do need to attend, you may need to wait longer to be seen...'
Last updated 6th May 2026
Health chiefs say the Emergency Department at Borders General Hospital is "currently very busy".
And they're reminding the public to only attend if their condition is life-threatening.
NHS Borders says anyone who thinks they might need to attend but "it's not life or limb-threatening" should dial NHS 24 on 111.
The helpline can also be used by anyone in need of urgent care if their GP, pharmacy or dental practice is closed; as well as those in mental health distress.
"If you do need to attend, you may need to wait longer to be seen," a spokesperson continued.
And, they added: "If your family member is fit to be discharged from hospital, you can help by being available to collect them or support their move to their next place of care.
"This helps us get the flow through our hospitals moving and offer care to the maximum amount of people who need it."
The update comes just over a week after a new walk-in GP clinic opened at the community hospital in Hawick, which it's hoped will reduce pressure on hospital services.
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The pilot service is available for new and urgent issues, Tuesdays to Fridays, between 2pm and 6pm.
However, only patients registered with practices in Hawick and Selkirk will be able to access it initially.
Ahead of its launch, Gareth Clinkscale, the health board's director of urgent care, community services, and mental health, told Greatest Hits Radio: "We do see a number of patients arriving to the BGH Emergency Department that could be managed elsewhere. That's one of the key drivers for us in terms of creating this new service. It's absolutely a big part of our improvement plans for the next year.
"We would be expecting to see individuals with cold symptoms, flu symptoms, minor respiratory illness, sickness and vomiting bugs, ear problems, minor skin infections and rashes. That's the typical on-the-day GP provision."
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