New operating theatres are being built at Royal Bolton Hospital in a multi-million-pound investment to help hundreds of patients waiting for surgery. Although work has started on the huge new extension containing state-of-the-art theatres, planning permission was formally granted for the development on Wednesday.
The two new theatres are being built on what was a staff car park near the Princess Anne maternity unit. They will be used for operations while other theatres at the hospital are refurbished and later be used to provide extra capacity.
Hospital bosses believe the theatres, in a new 1,250 square metre building, will be up and running by April, 2023. A planning statement published by Bolton Council gave an indication of the scale of the surgical backlog at the hospital.
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It said: “The proposed modular theatres at the Royal Bolton Hospital will provide additional capacity to reduce the backlog of patients; there are currently 1,069 patients waiting over 52 weeks for surgery. In order to resolve the current waiting list backlog within a two-year period, every theatre would need to be utilised Monday to Friday 52 weeks per annum with a further eight additional sessions per week.
“The theatres currently have a 48-week timetable. Losing two theatres of capacity whilst a refurbishment programme is undertaken would result in an activity reduction of circa 40 procedures per week which in turn would increase the 52 week waits by 2,500 per annum based on the current 48-week theatre timetable.
“Therefore, in order to maintain capacity and reduce the backlog whilst providing safe and effective care for patients, there needs to be an investment in additional theatres which will be used as theatres throughout the refurbishment period. Post refurbishment, the theatres can be used as additional capacity or for a day-case unit.”
Speaking as work began Annette Walker, director of finance at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We desperately need these brand new, state-of-the-art theatres for both Bolton and Greater Manchester. They will enable us to give our patients a really good experience and hopefully better outcomes for the procedures they’re having.
“It’s fantastic and means so much for us and for Greater Manchester. After the pandemic we all know we have huge challenges around clearing our backlog of waiting lists.
“We also have some ageing estate in our hospital, with our theatres having been used for many, many years, so this will help us to get back on track and help to clear our waiting lists.”
A design and access statement with the plans, said: “The proposed addition to Royal Bolton Hospital is two ultraclean ventilation theatre suites including all
associated patient and visitor accommodation and plant required for the operation of this facility. The new build will be supported with fully compliant staff and patient support accommodation, adding extra facilities to provide services which will relieve patient pressure from the existing hospital.”
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