• First steps taken in £38m redevelopment of maternity and women’s health unit at Royal Bolton Hospital
• Partners gathered to celebrate the future of the unit, which will provide modern, spacious facilities when open in 2027
• Patients, families and visitors are reminded that there may be some access changes on site

A major milestone was celebrated this week, as Bolton NHS Foundation Trust officially broke ground with construction partner, Robertson, on a £38 million redevelopment of the Maternity and Women’s Health Unit at Royal Bolton Hospital.

The new unit, which will be located at the Princess Anne Maternity Unit, will provide state-of-the-art facilities for women, babies, and families across Bolton and beyond.

The project is being funded by NHS England following the identification of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in the existing structure in 2023.

Once work is complete in early 2027, the unit will provide:

• A new birthing suite with four modern birthing rooms, each equipped with birthing pools.
• A new seven-bed triage area.
• A new gynaecology and early pregnancy unit, designed to meet modern standards and models of care.
• New transitional care bays for Neonatal services within the postnatal ward.
• Refurbished maternity wards offering spacious, modern environments. for women during and after pregnancy.
• New modern façade/cladding to improve the building’s appearance.

The groundbreaking ceremony was led by representatives from the Trust and specialist contractor Robertson Construction North West, with colleagues from the Trust’s estates partners iFM Bolton, and women’s health and maternity teams.

Fiona Noden, Chief Executive at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust said:

This is a really exciting time for maternity and women’s health services here in Bolton, the first steps in what will be a fantastic development for families now, and for many future years to come.

“In the past 4-5 years we’ve invested over £100m in the site at Royal Bolton Hospital, and we will continue to take every opportunity to pursue funding to improvement healthcare facilities for the people of Bolton and beyond.

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

Having a baby is one of the most special times in a family’s life, and the care and support they receive along the way will stay with them forever.

“We’re excited to welcome the next generation of families from Bolton and beyond to our new warm and welcoming unit, and to play a part in their important journey.

Elliot Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, Robertson Group, said:

This marks an important step forward not just in addressing the immediate challenges posed by RAAC, but in creating modern, safe, and welcoming healthcare environments that will serve generations to come.

“We are working in close partnership with the NHS to deliver high-quality spaces that enable staff to focus on what matters most – patient care. It’s a privilege to support Bolton NHS Foundation Trust on such a vital transformation.

Maternity services remain fully open at Royal Bolton Hospital, including all antenatal and postnatal care. Women’s health services continue to be run from a separate part of the hospital, and from Lever Chambers Health Centre. Please check your appointment details carefully before attending.

Whilst construction is underway, some parking and access will be temporarily affected at times.

The teams are working closely together to ensure that any disruption is minimised and that families can have access at all times. Messages about any temporary restrictions will be shared across the Trust’s channels.

Robertson is committed to enhancing the lives of the people in the communities they work in, by developing work placements and apprenticeships, and will seek opportunities to do so throughout the lifespan of this project.

The Trust appointed WeBuild Healthcare as main contractor with Robertson as the delivery partner through Lot 2 of ProCure23. This is part of Crown Commercial Service’s Construction Works and Associated Services Framework. ProCure23 supports the delivery of healthcare infrastructure across England and is NHS England’s preferred route to market for the provision of design and construction services to NHS capital projects.

We expect to welcome the first families to the new unit in early 2027.