The Knoll Hospital in Duns was closed on Wednesday afternoon after a fire broke out, leading to appointment cancellations and ongoing disruption.
Fire and Response
Emergency services were called to the hospital shortly after 1pm on Wednesday, August 5. Three fire crews from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service attended and quickly brought the blaze under control.
NHS Borders confirmed that no one was injured, and thanked firefighters for their "swift and professional response".
Service Disruption
All GP and clinic appointments were cancelled for the rest of Wednesday, with further disruption expected on Thursday, August 6. GP appointments at the Merse Medical Practice, located on the same site, will proceed as planned, but several outpatient services are likely to be cancelled.
NHS Borders stated they will contact affected patients directly.
Official Statements
A spokesperson for NHS Borders said: "NHS Borders can confirm that a fire occurred at the Knoll Hospital site in Duns earlier today. The incident was attended promptly by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and we would like to express our sincere thanks for the swift and professional response. We are pleased to report that all patients, staff and contractors who were on site at the time are safe and accounted for. There have been no reported injuries. As a result of the incident there will be disruption to outpatient clinic services based at the Knoll Hospital site while a full assessment of the building and any damage is carried out. Our teams are working to contact affected patients directly regarding their appointments, and we ask patients with outpatient clinic appointments not to attend the site unless they have been specifically advised to do so. GP appointments at the Merse Medical Practice will operate as normal tomorrow. The safety of our patients and staff remains our highest priority. We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our local community while we assess the situation and make arrangements to restore services as quickly as possible. A further update will be provided tomorrow afternoon."
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: "We were alerted at 1.05pm on Wednesday, July 5, to a fire at the Knoll Hospital, Station Road, Duns. Operations control mobilised four appliances however one was turned back as not required. Firefighters extinguished the fire and left the scene at 3.46pm ensuring that the area was made safe."
Police Scotland were contacted for comment.
