Hospital site shut for urgent RAAC repairs

A community hospital and health centre in the Borders is to be shut and services moved elsewhere to allow "swift remedial action" to potentially dangerous concrete.

NHS Borders said the Knoll Hospital and other medical services provided would have to be relocated on a temporary basis while the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) was dealt with.

It said the safety of patients was paramount and no clinics, appointments or in-patient care could be provided while the work was undertaken.

The health board described it as an "emerging situation" and added that it did not yet know when the repair work would begin or how long it would take.

The Knoll Community Hospital, health centre, Duns Medical Group and Merse Medical Practice operate from the site.

The Knoll Hospital is an adult in-patient 23 bedded ward.

It supports acute hospital services and provides services to meet local health needs.

Health care provided includes medical care for the elderly, palliative and end of life care, and rehabilitation.

NHS Borders said it was looking at how anyone affected could be accommodated elsewhere and stressed that once the work was completed it would be returned to a "fully functioning facility".

Initial surveys on its buildings were carried out in September 2023.

They showed that RAAC was present in four of its buildings - Knoll Hospital, Knoll Health Centre, Jedburgh Health Centre and Kelso Hospital.

Expert advice at the time was that there was no evidence of any "immediate risk".

However, in-depth surveys have now found an issue with the roof at the Knoll building that requires work "as soon as possible".

NHS Borders said a similar survey of Kelso Hospital had provided no indication of any issues while a phase two survey at Jedburgh Health Centre had not yet started.

Chief Officer Chris Myers said: "We recognise that this information will come as a shock to staff, patients and everyone who uses the services provided from the Knoll Hospital and Health Centre, including patients from both GP practices.

"We are working at pace to identify alternative locations from which services will be provided whilst the remedial works are undertaken.

"As soon as we are in a position to confirm these details they will be communicated directly to people affected and made available in the public domain on NHS Borders website."

He said the board would try to keep disruption to a minimum and asked for "patience and understanding" while the work was carried out.