Opening of new wards in Bolton
TWO acute inpatient wards within the Trust’s Bolton services were opened on 20 April, as part of the reconfiguration of the mental health inpatient accommodation available within the Rivington Unit at Royal Bolton Hospital.
Oak Ward, which houses 20 female inpatient beds, and Beech Ward, which has 22 male inpatient beds, will replace two mixed-sex wards and both have been refurbished to provide a higher standard of accommodation within the Rivington Unit and brand new gender-specific features.
Both wards feature new landscaped garden areas, with sport facilities such as basketball hoops, and occupational therapy kitchens to support independent living. There are an increased number of en-suite rooms as well as spacious communal rooms to support physical health activities and accessibility for service users with limited mobility.
Neil Thwaite, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development and Performance, Gill Green, Director of Nursing, and Andrew Maloney, Director of HR and Corporate Services, attended the opening event, where a service user, who was previously within inpatient services, gave a moving speech.
Michelle Anderson, Head of Operations in Bolton, said: “We are delighted to have opened Oak Ward. This is a fantastic new development for service users, their carers and family members, and of course, staff within our Bolton service. We are committed to providing a high standard of care and the excellent facilities now on Oak Ward will allow us to continue to do so.”
