ANOTHER 88 patients are to benefit from care as Bolton Hospice opens four new rooms.

The hospice opened the en suite inpatient bedrooms in response to a growing demand on its specialist services.

The rooms were added to the hospice’s existing 14-bed inpatient unit last year, as part of a wider ‘Building for the Future’ project.

NHS Bolton CCG provided an additional £105,167 a year to the hospice to contribute a third of the cost of nursing and medical care for the additional beds.

Chairman of NHS Bolton CCG, Dr Wirin Bhatiani, said the new facilities supported a vision for healthcare in Bolton with patients being treated by professionals in the right settings.

He said: "I am delighted that we are able to support Bolton Hospice to create these extra bedrooms.

"The demand for high-quality care for those with serious illnesses who may be nearing the end of their life is higher than ever. Hospice care enables these people to be treated in a gentler and calmer atmosphere than a hospital, close to their friends and family."

Hospice chairman Judith Bromley added: “We are delighted to receive this additional funding from NHS Bolton CCG, which demonstrates their commitment to ensuring local people have access to specialist palliative and end of life care services.

“Most importantly, this means that we will be able to help more local patients and their families when they need us most.”

The four new beds will mean the hospice can care for around 88 additional inpatients every year, and support their families.

They will be used to care for patients facing incurable life-limiting illnesses, including cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease and neurological diseases.

The hospice will need to raise nursing and medical costs, plus the additional funds required for other associated costs such as catering, housekeeping and bereavement support on top of its existing £3.2 million annual fundraising target.

Director of communications, Alice Atkinson, said the hospice was grateful for the fundraising efforts made by the Bolton community and hoped support would continue as funding targets increased with the addition of the new beds.