Royal Bolton Hospital
Minerva Road, Farnworth, Bolton, Lancashire, BL4 0JRContact details and Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Patient ratings and reviews
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Reviews
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Review titled Busy service but amazing care
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 25 July 2024
Admitted as an emergency via 111 on a Sunday afternoon. Care received exemplary Professional staff, courteous and friendly at all times. Very busy ward but received care and information all throughout my stay from every level of staff. Ultrasound and MRI scans performed and acted upon immediately, liaison with other departments handled quickly. All information shared with me about what and when things were happening. And on top of this the food was amazing. If this was a hotel it would be a 4 star
Visited Don't know on July 2024
Royal Bolton Hospital has not yet replied.
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Review titled Lovely nurses who cared
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Isobel - Posted on 25 July 2024
Today I experienced an Endoscopy and every professional who dealt with me was truly amazing. Extremely empathetic and caring. Lovely smiles on their faces and made me feel comfortable throughout. They explained every single step and I felt safe. I never leave reviews for anything but I felt after such a lovely experience and something I was extremely nervous for I should leave a review. Brilliant team.
Visited Diagnostic Endoscopy on July 2024
Royal Bolton Hospital has not yet replied.
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Review titled J Block Outpatients Not Disabled Friendly
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 16 July 2024
Whoever designed the J-Block Outpatients Building needs to go back to school and start again. Today’s appointment, firstly the main double doors to J-Block don’t open, they are supposed to be automatic, but they are broke, so one side is open, the other bolted closed. Not ideal when you are a carer pushing someone in a bariatric wheelchair, i.e. wider than your average wheelchair so you need both doors open. Upon asking staff on reception for help, they did not know what to do, only to say it had been like that for a while. Eventually I managed to squeeze through the door. Then you get inside, Cardiology Ultrasound is on the second floor, and signs to the only lift in the building are not visible, so initially I walked past the lift, but I realised I had gone wrong. Walking back, every single internal door had to be manually pushed open, not one had a button to press to open them automatically, exactly how do you expect someone pushing someone else in a wheelchair to get through the doors. I am sorry if I have damaged your nice new paint work in trying to get my elderly father to his appointment this morning. I also question why there are three disabled parking spaces outside J-Block for staff, yes, I understand there are staff who are disabled, and who have a blue badge and so who can use these spaces, but this morning (and the same in April when I visited for an outpatient appointment) all three spaces were used by people without Blue Badges. I had to use the car park off Redgate Way, and the dropped kerbs are just not dropped enough, there is still a tiny lip which makes manoeuvring a wheelchair that is heavy over them very difficult. The one to the main road, is still too high to manoeuvre a bariatric wheelchair over, as are the dropped kerbs on the pedestrian crossing, and then when you get across the road, you have to navigate a pavement with a raised paving stone, and a giant orange cone, warning you that the paving stone is broke and raised. I can’t see many reasonable adjustments being made in this hospital to help those with disabilities access their appointments. Next time my elderly disabled father will use NHS Hospital Transport to get to any appointments, I quit.
Visited Cardiology on July 2024
Royal Bolton Hospital has not yet replied.
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Review titled Rude Staff
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 06 June 2024
There is a distinct difference between being rude and being confident in trying to advocate for what a patient needs as a carer. Apparently an HCA enjoyed listening into my conversation with my relative who is currently on a ward, and then after I left, told my relative, I was rather rude. So, because I am discussing with someone my shock at the standard of care, lack of communication and listening skills of staff in the hospital, I am rude. Let’s get one thing correct, I have never been rude, aggressive, or abusive to anyone in the NHS, or anyone in any job for that matter, as abuse and rudeness has no place in my life, I detest it, everyone should be kind to everyone. I am someone who has witnessed mistake after mistake in basic NHS care, which has led to an unavoidable admission for my relative, so if I appear, upset, rude or slightly angry when having a private conversation with my relative, don’t listen in to our conversation, and certainly do not make comments to my relative after I have left, which caused him upset. The same staff member then called me rude and aggressive a second time in front of other patients, when again I put my foot down because ward staff had failed to do basic things, before trying to move my relative to another ward, basically my relative was asked to vacant his bed space for someone else and sit in the corridor, I refused, eventually they turned out a spinal cancer patient from his bed, to put the new patient in, much to the surprise and shock of myself, and other visitors on the ward, who were also not happy at the standard of care their relatives were getting. The spinal cancer patient did not want to surrender their bed, and they were trying to sleep in it at the time. My refusal started a chain reaction but is it my fault if ward staff cannot organise themselves, and ensure a patient is fully ready to move when the porter arrives, especially when they have known about the move for three hours. No, it certainly is not my fault, it is bad chaotic management. Incompetence at its best.
Visited General Medicine on June 2024
Review titled Royal Bolton Hospital
Replied on 12 June 2024
Dear Carer Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. If you would like to email PALS@boltonft.nhs.uk then we will look into these issues for you. Best wishes Tracy Joynson, Patient Experience Manager
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Review titled Patient Not Involved
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 11 June 2024
I am disappointed again to find upon discharge medications particularly pain meds have been stopped without having a discussion with the patient or the carer. I made it clear from the moment of emergency admission no meds were to be stopped or changed without discussing with the patient or me, the carer. Ward staff claim according to false notes a conversation was had with my relative, this is false, and is an exact repeat of last year. The reason my relative is in your hospital is because you stopped medication last year without discussion which left him housebound and unable to go out.
Visited General Medicine on June 2024
Review titled Royal Bolton Hospital
Replied on 12 June 2024
Dear Carer Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. I am sorry to hear that you have had similar issues to those you raised previously. If you could please contact PALS@boltonft.nhs.uk we will look into this for you. Best wishes Tracy Joynson, Patient Experience Manager
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Review titled Little Improvement In Eight Months
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 04 June 2024
I have mixed thoughts as a carer of someone who is currently an inpatient, the second time in 8 months. The care in A&E is lacking, call bells ignored, staff not willing to help and patients who are left in distress, pain and dirty beds. I had to literally help my parent onto a commode in an A&E cubicle, because staff ignored the call bell they had been ringing for 40 minutes before I arrived back in A&E. What is the point of the sign in a cubicle which says, ‘Call Don’t Fall,’ if you ignore it when patients ring for help. Why roll a commode in to the cubicle for them if you don't stop to help them, when they are struggling to even stand up. I had to clean up puddles of urine with a green hospital blanket. I watched an admin staff member, having to keep a patient in a bed, not in a cubicle, but the middle of the floor by their desk in A&E as they kept trying to escape. Is that really something an admin team member should be doing? I witnessed many staff simply doing nothing, I was ignored by the main nurse in charge on A&E when I stood by their desk for 5 minutes, not so much as even a ‘I’ll be with you shortly.’ The care on the wards has been good, not brilliant, average at best, but all in all it seems to be that it is the HCA’s that are in fact keeping the hospital’s running. I can only praise the fantastic HCA in A&E who helped my parent when they came on their shift. It's the same on both wards that I have been visiting daily, it is the HCA’s that seem to answer the questions carers have and come to the aid of the patient. The amount of time I have tried to have a conversation with a nurse about my parent’s care, and just been met with grunts. I see little has improved since my parent was last admitted in October 2023, although at least this time, they were not left on a trolley in the corridor, and there were sufficient blankets and pillows in A&E, even if I did have to mop up urine with one. And I should be thankful that they did not get discharged too early, like last time, and they bounced right back into A&E days later. This time I stood by ground, 'Activities of Daily Living,' enabled them to remain in hospital until they were medically fit and care had been put in place.
Visited Accident and emergency services on June 2024
Review titled Royal Bolton Hospital
Replied on 05 June 2024
Dear Carer Thank you for taking the time to share your observations and experiences of our A&E and wards with us. I am sorry that you found the standard of care and communication to be lacking. If you would like us to look into this for you, then please do not hesitate to contact PALS@boltonft.nhs.uk and a member of the team will support you. I do hope that your parent goes on to make a full recovery and is well enough to go home soon. With best wishes Tracy Joynson, Patient Experience Manager
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Review titled Exceptional Treatment.
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anthony Smyth - Posted on 23 June 2024
On the 3rd June 2024 I slipped and fell and damaged my left eye. I was taken to the A & E Department at the hospital where I received the best possible treatment that is possible. From the Senior Practitioner, his Assistant, and all the ensuring staff I was treated with care and attention. I wanted the thank the the hospital. I am now on the road to recovery.
Visited Accident and emergency services on June 2024
Royal Bolton Hospital has not yet replied.
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Review titled Outpatients
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Jan - Posted on 13 June 2024
Husband had appointment , 4 members of staff having a disagreement about the positioning of a patient on a trolly. Did not sound very professional at all ..
Visited Don't know on June 2024
Royal Bolton Hospital has not yet replied.
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Review titled Outstanding Care continues
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Ian Rotherham - Posted on 17 May 2024
Your review: Further to my recent review I was called back for a biopsy as my PSA had risen . Whilst any procedure causes you to worry, the staff at Urology were again outstanding. From reception , to being checked in and then operated on all the staff were caring , efficient and helpful . It was great to see staff smiling and laughing too as it put me at ease, knowing they were enjoying their work and having “fun” as life’s for living . Today I got a call to say I got the all clear and I will never be able to thank the whole team, for all they have done for me , being so proactive to ensure there was nothing more serious needing treatment . I can now relax and get on with my life, in the knowledge that I have been thoroughly tested. I’m so lucky to have RBH as my local hospital and over the last 32 years it served me very well . My children were born there , I’ve had various tests and and operations over the years and each time they have been there for me and my family. We even transferred my mums care from a hospital in the Lakes, where her operation was delayed and delayed, for over 2 years, only for RBH to operate within 9 weeks . My mum made a full recovery and she too can’t thank RBH enough . Thankyou again for looking after me so well, I really appreciate all you do for me and Bolton.
Visited Urology on May 2024
Review titled Royal Bolton Hospital
Replied on 20 May 2024
Dear Ian Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience of our Urology team with us. I was pleased to hear that our staff put you at ease and that the outcome for you has been a positive one. I will share your comments with the Urology Team who I am sure will be delighted to receive them. I wish you and your family all the best of health for the future. With best wishes Tracy Joynson, Patient Experience Manager
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Review titled No Discharge Planning
by Anonymous - Posted on 13 June 2024
I am stunned at the way discharge planning is done for vulnerable elderly people who live alone by this hospital, because frankly there is no discharge planning. What I have experienced for an elderly parent, is a lack of care, compassion and understanding of their needs, and that of their current carer, and this is despite me making it clear from point of admission what was needed and why. The NHS website gives a list of what should be done when planning discharge and passing on care to an agency, it also referenced the up to six weeks free care people are entitled to but apparently according to staff working at Bolton Hospital this no longer exists and has none done for some time. I have had a random care plan put in place for an elderly parent, with just a call telling me someone will come at 9pm the next day, end of call. I had to seek out the agency, as the name was not given fully during the call and speak to them to see what the plan was, all this has been organised by the Health and Care Hub within the hospital. No-one has spoken to me or my elderly parent about what was needed or not needed, and neither was any financial costs given in advance, which is imperative, all that was said, it might be free if they on are Housing Benefit, might be free, is simply not good enough or acceptable. I’ve cancelled the package as I would rather continue caring myself, despite my own health concerns, which is why I approach the hospital for help in the first place. I feel for those who do not have someone to advocate for their rights.
Visited Don't know on May 2024
Royal Bolton Hospital has not yet replied.
Information supplied by Bolton NHS Foundation Trust