• New Discharge Unit has opened at Royal Bolton Hospital
• Facility will improve patient experience and care as they prepare to leave hospital
• Discharge Unit aims to free up ward beds to ease pressure on busy Emergency Department

A new Discharge Unit has opened at Royal Bolton Hospital to improve patient experience and the care they receive when waiting to return to the place they call home.

The facility, located in D block off the main hospital corridor, aims to reduce delays for people leaving hospital and free up much-needed bed space ready for patients being admitted from the Emergency Department.

A team of highly skilled nurses will continue to provide care in the unit as people prepare to leave hospital, with patients having access to hot and cold meals.

The Discharge Unit is kitted out with 18 chairs, including reclining chairs, and six bed spaces for those who require additional comfort.

Rae Wheatcroft, Chief Operating Officer at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said:

Our new Discharge Unit will provide a comfortable and relaxed environment for people as they wait to get their medications and transport home before leaving hospital.

“As we prepare to go into another busy winter, this unit will also help us to ensure beds become available more quickly, which will ease pressure on our Emergency Department and make sure patients who urgently need care are seen even quicker.

In the coming weeks, a new ‘Flow Command Centre’ will move in to the unit to support wards and services with discharge planning and to enhance collaboration between teams.

For relatives coming to collect their loved one from hospital, the nearest car park to the Discharge Unit is Chadwick car park. A full map of the hospital is available on Bolton NHS Foundation Trust’s website.