PATIENTS in the Borders were the joint most likely to have their operation cancelled on mainland Scotland in June, new figures reveal.

The latest data, published by Public Health Scotland, shows more than 300 planned routine operations did not go ahead.

It works out that 10.3 per cent were cancelled in the month, the same as in Dumfries and Galloway.

Only NHS Shetland had a higher cancellation percentage at 11.7 per cent.

NHS Borders said the figures reflected the “extensive pressure” its services were under.

An NHS Borders spokesperson said: “In June we scheduled 301 routine operations, of which 31 were cancelled. The majority of these surgeries were cancelled due to capacity and non-clinical reasons, whilst the remainder were cancelled by the patient or as a result of clinical need.

“These figures reflect the extensive pressure that our services were under during that time.

“We only postpone procedures when we feel that it is not safe to carry them out or if we need to increase our bed capacity to care for higher numbers of admission for people who are very poorly. When making these difficult decisions we use national guidance which states criteria to identify cases that are clinically urgent to ensure that these operations continue to go ahead as scheduled.

“We recognise that having an operation postponed can feel worrying and that for each individual waiting, their operation feels urgent and important. We are continuing to work very hard to operate on patients as quickly as we can, based on their clinical needs.”

NHS Borders’ June percentage increased from the previous month’s nine per cent.

That rise is present despite the health board’s total number of cancelled operations being at its lowest point in 2024.

NHS Borders’ highest percentage this year, 14.9 per cent, was recorded in January.

Last month the national average was eight per cent, with Golden Jubilee the lowest at 5.8 per cent.