• Maternity and Women’s Health Unit at Royal Bolton Hospital to undergo major redevelopment
• Multi-million pound transformation will include new birthing rooms and triage area, and upgraded assessment areas in our gynaecology services
• Local families and staff invited to have their say to help shape plans

The Princess Anne Maternity Unit at Royal Bolton Hospital is to undergo a major redevelopment to create a new space that is fit for families and in the future.

The multi-million pound transformation project is expected to begin in December to refurbish the maternity wards for women during and after pregnancy into new, modern and spacious environments.

The hospital’s birthing suite will be fully refurbished to create four brand new, modern birthing rooms with pools.

Funding will see the first floor of the unit being removed, a new seven-bed triage area alongside the maternity unit and the ability to adapt the spaces between antenatal and postnatal ward areas to manage demand.

Our women’s health services will also have a welcome upgrade, with both the gynaecology and early pregnancy assessment areas being fully refurbished as part of the development.

Tyrone Roberts, Chief Nursing Officer at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said:

For nearly fifty years the Princess Anne Maternity Unit has played a significant part in the lives of families. However, a lot has changed in that time and we want to make sure our services reflect the modern standards people expect, and to be even better for families in the future.

“We have one of the busiest maternity units in the region, and this multi-million pound investment will allow us to completely transform the space we currently have, creating an environment that is better suited to those who use it and features the latest advancements in healthcare to enhance safety and experience.

“We know a lot of families will have made very precious memories here and we’ll be sharing details soon about how you can be a part of capturing that history, as well as joining us to celebrate the start of an exciting next chapter.

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust bid for funding from NHS England following the identification of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in the maternity unit in December 2023.

Since then, the Trust has taken measures to move maternity services away from the affected areas to allow the areas to be propped for safety, with women’s services operating from new locations at the hospital and at Lever Chambers Centre for Health.

Annette Walker, Chief Finance Officer at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, added:

We’re really pleased to have been awarded £38m funding from NHS England which will allow us to significantly redevelop our maternity unit.

“Ahead of work starting, we’ll be speaking to both staff and service users to understand what they need from the unit so that we can deliver high quality care in a modern space for years to come.

“There will be a series of engagement events over the next few weeks and I would encourage people to come along and be a part of creating something really exciting. Our staff are our biggest asset and we’ll be drawing upon their wealth of experience to understand what changes will make the most difference.

The Trust is inviting local families to help shape the plans for the redeveloped unit at engagement events, hosted by Bolton Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership.

The sessions are on:

• Wednesday 27^th November 10.30am-3pm – “15 Steps” activity – Royal Bolton Hospital. 15 steps is a way of looking at services from the perspective of those who use them, and is your opportunity to get involved on the ground with how things could work.
• Thursday 28^th November – listening and planning event – location and time tbc

Amy Rothwell, Bolton Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership Lead, said:

This isn’t just about picking paint colours – we want to know what works best for the families using these facilities.

“Do we want to be in single rooms, or do we like being in a bay with other people? What kind of shower set up is best for those who have had a C-section? Do we need more birthing pools? Should triage be bigger? I’m keen for local families to share their thoughts every step of the way.

Places are limited on the sessions so please confirm attendance via amy@voicesforchoices.org.uk. You can also email your feedback to this address at any time, or contact Amy for more information.