Hospital beds closure threat over safety concerns

Beds at community hospitals in the Borders are to be withdrawn unless safety assurances can be given.

The warning to the area's Health and Social Care Partnership comes just weeks after GP cover finished at a small hospital in Kelso and medical contracts ended at the Knoll Hospital in Duns.

While NHS Borders doctors and nurse practitioners have filled the void, the temporary agreement is due to run out in August.

NHS Borders medical director, Dr Lynn McCallum, said: "If we don't have assurances of a safe medical model being in place I will suggest closing beds."

There are 92 community hospital beds in the Scottish Borders across four sites in Kelso, Duns, Hawick and Peebles.

Agreements have been in place with nearby GP practices to provide medical cover for patients.

GPs in Kelso withdrew from the arrangement in April due to an increased workload within their own surgeries.

At the same time contracted medical cover in Duns came to an end.

Members of the Health and Social Care Partnership, who are responsible for delivering GP in-patient services, were also warned this week that arrangements at the other two community hospitals were under threat.

Dr Rachel Mollart, who is a GP in Selkirk, said: "Because of the current GP workload it is feared that similar withdrawals will happen in Peebles and Hawick."

Borders General Hospital has one of the worst recent records in Scotland for delayed discharges, with the region's four community hospitals often used to free up acute beds.

There are fears that closures will add to the problem.

But Dr McCallum added: "Safety is our priority.

"If we don't have the assurances in place, we will start closing beds behind each discharge from May to ensure patients in the community hospitals are safe."