AFTER three years and £1.2 million, Bolton Hospice has completed its transformation.

The centre of care for people with life-limiting illnesses has unveiled its fully refurbished facilities this Hospice Care Week following the completion of its Building for the Future project.

The final phase of the building work was completed last month and is now ready to welcome patients and their families.

Jill Entwistle, Clinical Services Director at Bolton Hospice, said: “We are delighted to unveil our now fully refurbished inpatient unit which we believe will allow the people of Bolton facing life-limiting illnesses to be cared for in the best possible surroundings for many years to come.

“With 18 beds now operational we have the capacity to meet the growing demand for hospice care in Bolton, so we are adding to our nursing team to ensure that we can continue to meet that need in future.”

The last phase started in September 2016 and involved converting the last seven inpatient bedrooms to ensuite, creating a larger, more welcoming, reception area and new family lounge with mood lighting and access to the hospice’s Garden of Tranquillity.

The nurses’ station has been opened up to make it more accessible, a canopy has also been added to the main reception to protect patients arriving and leaving by ambulance from the elements and patio area to escape to the outside in peace.

Two new complementary therapy rooms have also been created, as well as a new physiotherapy rehabilitation gym and peaceful remembrance room.

In the last three years the hospice has added four new inpatient t bedrooms in Wing A, converting seven of the existing 14 bedrooms to en suite, improving pharmacy facilities, creating more space for visitors and families and adding a new multi-faith spiritual reflection and bereavement support centre – with the first phase of the project completed in 2014,

The hospice, which opened at its site off Chorley New Road in 1992, appointed local firm CityBuild to complete the project and the new look has been designed by Bolton-based architects Good & Tillotson.

Money has been raised through donations and legacy gifts, which helped the charity reach the target needed to complete the final phase over the last 12 months.

Chief Executive of the hospice, Dr Leigh Vallance, added: “This year we are celebrating 25 years since the hospice first opened and the completion of our refurbishment project has ensured that we are prepared to continue to provide the best possible care for local people in top class facilities for the next 25 years.”

The hospice provides specialist palliative and end of life care to local people facing life-limiting illnesses.

As well as inpatient facilities, it runs consultant-led outpatient clinics, planned day therapy four days a week and provides a hospice at home nursing service in partnership with GPs and district nurses.

Over the last year, the charity based in Chorley Old Road has, cared for 255 people in its inpatient unit, 156 outpatients, 141 patients in their own homes and 88 new patients attended day therapy.

Around 90 per cent of the hospice’s patients have a cancer diagnosis, whilst others may be living with heart disease or neurological conditions.

A recruitment campaign has now been launched to seek out new nurses to help staff the expanded service.

Fundraising also continues to help cover the hospice’s annual running costs at around £4.5 million.

Just over £1 million is received in government funding from NHS Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group and the remainder is raised with the support of the local community.