STAFF dedicated to improving women's health at the Royal Bolton Hospital will be letting their hair down in a celebration anniversary dinner dance.

More than 120 doctors and nurses are planning to have a ball on November 16 to mark 10 years of their Women's Health Unit at the Minerva Road hospital.

The black-tie event, billed as formal but fun, will take place at The Jarvis Hotel, on the A6, Bolton.

The unit was one of the first to be set up in the country and is dedicated to helping women with a variety of health problems.

Its main achievement is its same day miscarriage service which allows women to be scanned within hours of seeing a GP with their pregnancy concerns.

In the past, women faced lengthy stays on a hospital ward.

Consultant and clinical director, Malcolm Gartside, said: "We see around 1,400 patients a month. It is difficult to say what has been our main achievement. But miscarriage assessments on the same day is probably the main one."

Advances in detecting cervical cancer is also being described as an important development in Bolton.

Mr Gartside believes that in the next 10 years, specialist consultants will be carrying out more complex procedures on an out-patient basis as patients no longer need to stay in hospital for treatment.

Tina Gundlach. Departmental Manager, Women's Health Care, said: "The party is our way of thanking staff for all their hard work over the years."