Temporary relocation of services from Knoll Hospital site in Duns due to RAAC

NHS Borders is advising of temporary disruption to services provided from the Knoll Hospital premises in Duns due to the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) which requires swift remedial action. 

The safety of staff and patients is paramount and the decant of the site, including Knoll Community Hospital, Health Centre, Duns Medical Group and Merse Medical Practice will be undertaken as quickly as we safely can. No clinics, appointments or inpatient care will be provided from the premises whilst the works are undertaken. 

Business Continuity Plans are currently being reviewed and we are actively planning how we will safely move patients and associated clinics from the Knoll Hospital/Health Centre, and how services will be reprovided for the duration of the remedial works taking place on the Knoll site.  

As this is an emerging situation we don’t yet know when the remedial works will commence, nor how long they will take. NHS Borders is committed to undertaking these works and are clear at this point that the relevant work will be commissioned to return the Knoll Community Hospital and Health Centre to a fully functioning facility. 

In 2023 it was widely reported that the presence of RAAC was likely in properties across the NHSScotland estate. NHSScotland Assure completed a RAAC Discovery Survey Programme on behalf of Scottish Government to identify where RAAC exists in the NHSScotland estate.  

The initial surveys of NHS Borders buildings where there was potential presence of RAAC were carried out on 14 and 15 September 2023. These surveys were coordinated by the national NHS Assure team and were carried out by national experts in RAAC. The surveys showed that RAAC was present in four of our buildings (Knoll Hospital, Knoll Health Centre, Jedburgh Health Centre and Kelso Hospital). 

Although RAAC was found to be present in these four locations, the expert surveyors advised that there was no evidence at that stage of concrete being in poor condition resulting in an immediate risk, and therefore no critical or immediate actions were required in any of the sites. This information was communicated to staff at the time and to the public via NHS Borders website. 

The initial surveys were undertaken based on visual inspection with second phase surveys to be undertaken as follow up. During 2024, and in advance of the national programme of second phase surveys, NHS Borders commissioned in depth surveys to be carried out in the sites where the presence of RAAC had been identified. 

On Monday this week (27 January 2025) NHS Borders Estates colleagues were advised by the structural engineers who had undertaken the in-depth surveys that there is an issue with the roof construction at the Knoll requiring remedial action “as soon as possible (i.e. within the next four weeks”.  

A similar survey of Kelso Hospital is currently being finalised and there is no indication of these issues with respect to that site. The phase two survey of Jedburgh Health Centre has not yet commenced. 

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. 

“There is inevitably going to be a period of disruption which we will of course work to minimise as far as possible. I ask for patience whilst we work through the detail; and to enable our staff and partners to focus on the tasks in hand I respectfully ask that people are not drawn into unfounded speculation. This is a temporary closure to the Knoll and we are committed to undertaking these works. We are clear at this point that the relevant work will be commissioned with a view to returning the Knoll Community Hospital and Health Centre to a fully functioning facility. 

“Although tempting, please do not contact the Knoll Hospital or GP Practice staff to ask about interim arrangements. If you are directly affected with forthcoming appointments etc you will be contacted directly in due course. 

“Thank you for your patience and understanding whilst we work through next steps.”