Concerns have been raised over the relocation of Bolton's sexual health clinic - with patients saying there is a lack of privacy and it is not  'fit for purpose'.

The clinic has recently moved from the Royal Bolton Hospital to Crompton Health Centre.

A member of the public, who has asked not to be named, stated the ‘move was a terrible idea’ and there is a lack of confidentiality as they could hear the patient next to them when receiving a private consultation.

He said: “I’ve been using the sexual health service at Bolton Hospital for more than a year and while the parking situation was always a nightmare the service provided by the staff was exceptional.

“So, I was a bit surprised when I was told the service was moving to Crompton Health Centre, but the plus side was knowing there’d be free parking.

“However, after my first visit I’m of the opinion this move was a terrible idea, and that the health centre is not fit for purpose when it comes to offering a sexual health service.

“To start with, the ‘Shine’ service isn’t even properly signposted, you have to follow bits of laminated paper with directions stuck up around the health centre.

“When I visited on Tuesday, I was then told I had to head back downstairs to another waiting room - what about those with impaired mobility? 

“The final straw was when I was trying to have a private consultation with a member of staff - I could hear every word of the conversation next door and no doubt they could hear every word of my consultation.

“To me, this is a clear breach of confidentiality in a setting where people have to talk about very intimate issues.”

The health trust has responded to the patients concerns stating they are aware the relocation can have an impact and they are ‘working to identify solutions to improve patient experience’.

Rae Wheatcroft, Chief Operating Officer at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We understand the relocation of a service can have an initial impact, which is why we’re working with both staff and patients to make the transition as smooth as possible to Sexual Health service’s new space.

“Our teams are always on hand to help direct patients to the right place; however, we welcome feedback from our patients to make sure our services are the best they can possibly be.

“While our Sexual Health services are located across two floors of Crompton Health Centre, there are lifts available to ensure that all of our service users have equal access to the care that they need.

“Permanent signage has recently been installed around and throughout Crompton Health Centre to increase the visibility of our Sexual Health services and ensure our patients can find their way.

“We will continue to build on this to increase signage where necessary following feedback from our patients.

“We want our patients to feel at ease when using our services, and we take breaches of confidentiality very seriously.

“As it is a new space, we are working to identify solutions to improve patient experience, including how we enhance the available space.

“The relocation of sexual health from the hospital site to Crompton Health Centre is part of a major programme of work to invest in our facilities and buildings so we can enhance our healthcare offer to Bolton, including a new multi-million-pound Community Diagnostic Centre, which when complete in 2024 will improve access to vital tests and scans.

“We would like to thank our staff for enabling the relocation of the service and to support our patients with the changes as they continue to provide the highest level of care.”

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