HEALTH bosses have apologised after patients at a mental health unit were disturbed by loud building noises.

A patient at the Rivington Unit, based at the Royal Bolton Hospital, said the noise was "horrible" and that it lasts for most of the day.

Bosses from the unit, which is part of the Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, apologised and said they hoped the noise will reduce in future weeks after drilling has been completed.

The renovation work is part of a £1.1 million scheme to extend the unit, provide extra beds and replace a gym at the site, due to be completed by October.

The trust added that some patients had been moved to other bedrooms to ease the disruption.

Beech Ward at the Rivington Unit is an 18-bed facility that supports adults experiencing learning difficulties and mental health problems, and the Birch Ward caters for 24 patients experiencing issues with substance misuse and other mental health problems.

Patient Kathryn Wood, from Little Lever, who spent three weeks at the unit's Beech Ward and is now back home, said: "It was just horrible, it didn't stop and it really got on your nerves.

"The staff did what they could and were very helpful, but I believe that the work should be scheduled better."

She added that the work often started at about 7.30am, continuing through the day until about 5pm.

Ismail Hafeji, director of finance, capital and IM&T for Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We are very sorry that the current building works at the Rivington Unit are disturbing our patients.

"This work is part of a £1.1million investment to significantly improve the unit by extending Beech Ward as well as Oak Ward.

"These extra beds will mean that we can offer single sex accommodation to patients as well replacing Birch Ward which had been identified as no longer fit for modern inpatient mental health care.

"This programme of work is also replacing the gym so that patients can benefit from improved facilities while they are on the unit.

"Unfortunately, this sort of work does generate noise and disruption, however the contractors we work with have a track-record of working at healthcare facilities and try their best to keep any disturbance to an absolute minimum.

"Our staff on the wards are sensitive to the fact that our patients can be agitated by this kind of disturbance and are planning to move patients whose bedrooms are nearest the work.

"The work is at a drilling stage which unfortunately is noisy by nature, however, this particular stage will be completed over the next couple of weeks, when we hope patients will experience a reduction in noise."