Full steam ahead for hospital supercentre

Work is well under way to transform the Royal Bolton Hospital into a regional supercentre for the care of women, children and babies.

The first sod was cut in September, with three phases of the £20 million Making it Better project now in progress.

And 2010 is a crucial year with all stages of the building work beginning this year and services starting to open, in the run-up to the completion of the scheme at the end of 2011.

Jane Harper, project support manager, said: "It's full steam ahead, the building work is progressing well.

"It is a 'live' site, with work going on close to patients, which is a challenge but we are working with staff and the contractors to resolve any issues quickly.

"We are giving mums questionnaires about the work and there have just been a few noise issues, which are unfortunately inevitable.

"The contractors can stop work if we need them to though or temporarily move sites if necessary."

The current phases are an extension to the central delivery suite, refurbishment of the current department and creating a new antenatal unit.

The care of the smallest and sickest babies will be concentrated on next, with building work starting on a specialist neonatal critical care unit in the next few weeks. Preparation work for other aspects is also under way.

Attention is turning to recruiting staff, with 410 posts being created.

Some staff will transfer from sites where work is moving to The Royal Bolton Hospital, including Bury and Salford, but new employees will also be taken on, with neonatal nurses being recruited now.

The rest of the scheme will include the refurbishment of the existing neonatal department and a new children's ward.

When the project is complete, The Royal Bolton Hospital will handle 6,600 births a year, up from 4,500 in 2009, with the capacity to deal with 7,000 births.

The other supercentres will be at Manchester Royal Infirmary and The Royal Oldham Hospital.

Photo's

Top - Taking Shape: Work under way at the Royal Bolton Hospital to create a supercentre for the care of women, children and babies

Bottom - Examining plans inside the new unit are, from the left, Kilian Wallace, site engineer; Graham Wainwright, general foreman; Jane Harper, project support manager for Making It Better; Louise Tansey, Communications officer for Making It Better.