• Thousands of kilograms of building material to be removed from Princess Anne Maternity Unit
• RAAC will be eradicated over next 54 weeks as part of multi-million pound transformation
• Temporary inflatable roof installed so building work and hospital services can continue

State-of-the-art technology is being used to remove thousands of kilograms of building material at Royal Bolton Hospital’s Maternity and Women’s Health Unit this week, in a major step to transform the area.

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) will be eradicated as part of a multi-million pound project to upgrade the hospital’s maternity wards for women during and after pregnancy into new, modern and spacious environments.

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

In a first of its kind at a UK hospital, a temporary inflatable construction tent, spanning 10 metres, has been installed across the Princess Anne Maternity Unit’s roof so building work can continue, without the risk of weather-related downtime or disruption, and vital hospital services can continue to be delivered.

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

We’re really pleased with the progress to transform our Maternity and Women’s Health Unit into a space that’s safe and better equipped for patients and staff.

“We’re now entering a key phase of the work as we carefully remove the RAAC, which we expect to take up to 54 weeks.

“This multi-million pound transformation is a significant investment in the future of healthcare for Bolton by creating a modern, state-of-the art Maternity and Women’s Health Unit to provide life-changing care for years to come.

The transformation is gathering pace as key work begins, including:

• Removing just over 3,000m2 of RAAC from across the maternity unit.
• Replacement with a new metal deck, insulation and roof system.
• Provision of new plant spaces to service the refurbished building.

Fiona McDonnell, Managing Director at iFM Bolton and Director of Estates and Facilities, said:

We’re entering an important, but exciting, stage of our transformation project as we deploy the latest technology to remove RAAC.

“The inflatable roof means we’re able to extract the material and continue with the work whilst ensuring our hospital services can continue to deliver care safely, avoiding disruption for both our patients and staff.

“This multi-million pound investment will ensure our hospital can stand safely and proudly for many more years to come and once complete will provide a modern space for women to receive care during and after their pregnancy.

On Tuesday 21 October, NHS England’s Director and Head of Profession for NHS Estates and Facilities, Simon Corben, Regional Delivery Director, Mark Holloway and Strategic Estates Lead, Lisa Sculpher, visited Royal Bolton Hospital to see first-hand the work taking place and receive an update about the Trust’s RAAC and estates investment schemes.

A new, modern unit

Over recent weeks, some of the hospital’s maternity services have been relocated to enable the works and ensure women and families continue to receive high-quality and safe care.

Once work is complete in 2027, the new 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.

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.