THE Royal Bolton Hospital has been given £40,000 to improve relationships with its staff and unions.

The cash, from the Department of Health, will be spent on consulting employees and unions to get their ideas on how to make the hospital a better place to work — and how patient care can be improved.

The hospital is one of six organisations in the region to share more than £200,000.

Managers will get feedback from health workers and the unions about working at the site by staging a range of consultation events, to find out what needs to be improved.

It will then compile a list of ideas by January or February.

Sue Whittam, head of human resources at the hospital, said: “We want to engage staff and the unions, they will benefit and will get to see us as an organisation which is interested in improving their health and wellbeing and values the contribution they make.

“This was always a key part of our strategy, and the money means we can accelerate the work. It’s an exciting project.”

The unions are behind the project and Harry Hanley, of Unison, said: “I am pleased we have got this grant. There is a good working relationship between the unions and managers already and this should help further it.

“It will also help patient care — that’s what it’s all about. If staff are happier it makes for happy patients.”

A grant has also been awarded to the North West Ambulance Service.