SOME hospital patients will be moved to a care home 18 miles from Melrose.

Deanfield Care Home, Hawick, has made 14 beds available for non-virus patients who were treated at the Borders General Hospital (BGH).

The first-floor beds, opened on April 27, will be for patients needing support before they secure nursing home places, Scottish Borders Council said.

A total of eight nurses are being transferred to Hawick, where they will assist council-employed carers.

NHS Borders' director of nursing Nicky Berry celebrated the developments.

She said: “The creation of this facility enables our patients to receive care in the right place to meet their needs.

“It is a testament to our health and social care staff across NHS Borders and Scottish Borders Council that we have been able to make this happen."

Meanwhile, SBC’s chief executive Tracey Logan said the local authority was "pleased" to help the NHS.

She said: "Working together with our health partners, we have decided to use the spare capacity at Deanfield Care Home to provide much needed nursing beds for those well enough to be discharged from hospital.

"We expect these extra beds to be of significant help to colleagues working to maintain capacity at the Borders General Hospital and support their COVID-19 response.

"We are pleased to have been able to help out with what is true integrated working between care and nursing staff."

The decision to move medically fit patients to the care home was approved by the Care Inspectorate.

A council spokesperson added: "The arrangements will have no impact on the existing 17 Deanfield residents who are housed on the ground floor of the home, with every necessary measure in place to ensure that the two areas are separated and well protected."