BGH set to be renamed as it receives University Hospital status - what does it mean?
Last updated 12th Nov 2026
Borders General Hospital is being RENAMED, after being granted University Hospital status.
It could spell the end of the familiar BGH abbreviation – with the site just outside Melrose now to be known as Borders General University Hospital.
Health chiefs say the change will strengthen its links with Edinburgh's Queen Margaret University, creating more opportunities for staff and students, as well as helping to improve patient care.
That could also help them attract and retain staff – which means patients could be seen quicker.
The partnership has a particular focus on nursing, midwifery, and allied health professions (NMAHPs), with opportunities to further expand their role in research, education, leadership, and service improvement.
Peter Moore, Chief Executive of NHS Borders, said: “University Hospital status is a significant milestone for NHS Borders and a powerful statement about our ambition for the future.
“This is much more than a change of name. It creates new opportunities for our staff and students, strengthens our ability to attract, develop and retain the workforce of the future and increases our capacity to turn research and innovation into better care.
“Our partnership with Queen Margaret University allows us to combine our strengths and build our academic and research capability."
He added: "I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved, but even more excited about what University Hospital status will enable us to achieve together for our workforce, our patients and the communities of the Scottish Borders.”
It’s not clear what impact this will have on the board’s finances, but the new partnership will be reviewed annually, and signs and letterheads with the old name will be phased out.
Fiona Sandford, Chair of NHS Borders, said: “Achieving University Hospital status is an exciting and important step for NHS Borders. It recognises the contribution our teams already make to learning and education and gives us the opportunity to build on that achievement with Queen Margaret University.
“My previous career in universities showed me the great strengths that come from partnering academic expertise and research with practice.
"Most importantly, this is about using knowledge, evidence and learning to improve care for the people and communities we serve.”
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The partnership brings together Queen Margaret University’s expertise in education and applied research with NHS Borders’ clinical experience and understanding of delivering healthcare in a remote and rural setting.
An early priority will be to establish an Academic in Residence role, working across both organisations to strengthen research, evaluation and improvement.
Queen Margaret University is funding this position through an allocation from its Scottish Funding Council Knowledge Exchange and Innovation Fund, supporting the development of this partnership.
The health board will also develop clinical academic roles, creating pathways for staff to combine clinical expertise with education, research and improvement, and helping to grow academic capability within NHS Borders.
Professor Sara Smith, Dean of the School of Health Sciences at QMU, and Michelle O’Reilly, Chief Nurse Clinical and Professional Development at NHS Borders, will jointly oversee the partnership.
Professor Smith said: “This partnership builds on an already strong foundation and creates new opportunities for students, academics, and healthcare professionals to share knowledge and expertise, and work collaboratively on shared strategic priorities.
“By combining academic expertise with frontline clinical insight, we can support innovation, strengthen professional development and deliver research that makes a meaningful difference to patient care and community health.”
A photocall was held in the Scottish Borders this morning to mark the signing of the five-year Memorandum of Understanding.
Sir Paul Grice, Principal of Queen Margaret University, said: "This is a proud moment for QMU and an important milestone in our relationship with NHS Borders.
"The partnership underpinning this recognition demonstrates the impact that can be achieved when higher education and healthcare providers work together with a shared purpose.
"By strengthening our partnership, we can support the education and development of healthcare professionals, expand research and innovation activity, and help address the challenges facing health and care services through evidence-based solutions. We are hugely excited about what we can achieve together."
Initial priorities for the partnership include the development of clinical academic ‘homes’ to support the transformation of musculoskeletal (MSK) and frailty roles, services and education, alongside joint student and staff research, innovation, and service improvement projects.
The partnership brings together QMU's strengths in healthcare education, person-centred care, applied research and innovation with NHS Borders’ ambition to transform care, strengthen its workforce and expand research and improvement activity.
It also provides a valuable opportunity to develop and evaluate new approaches to healthcare and education delivery within a remote and rural setting, supporting both organisations’ commitment to reducing health inequalities and strengthening community-based care.
Michelle O’Reilly, the health board's Chief Nurse Clinical and Professional Development, said: "Continuous learning and professional development are essential to ensuring we can respond to changing healthcare needs and build on the strengths and expertise that already exist across NHS Borders.
"This partnership creates new opportunities for our staff to learn, develop and innovate, bringing together clinical and academic expertise to support ongoing improvement, enhance patient outcomes and strengthen safe effective, person-centred care and rights-based care.
“For a smaller health board, this partnership gives us an important opportunity to strengthen our academic and research profile and create clinical academic pathways that might traditionally be associated with larger organisations.
“Crucially, it will help us build on the excellent work already happening across NHS Borders and become better at evaluating and demonstrating its impact. Through our partnership with Queen Margaret University, we can translate learning, evidence and research into meaningful improvements for our patients, staff and communities.”
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