OLD-FASHIONED Victorian wards at the Royal Bolton Hospital have been replaced with state-of-the-art facilities normally seen in the plushest of private hospitals.

The first of the new look wards has been unveiled to patients this week, bringing a new dimension to patient care.

A total of £750,000 has been spent transforming two wards in the old block of the hospital.

The money has come from a budget awarded to the hospital each year to improve and up-date existing facilities.

Instead of the former Nightingale style wards with beds stretching in a line, individual pods have been created of no more than four beds at a time.

Extra single rooms have also been built for patients who need extra privacy and to aid infection control.

Each bed also has a special terminal for providing patients with gas medication at the touch of a button, rather than being hooked up to heavy cylinders.

And the improvements, which also include a room for relatives, have been given the thumbs up from patients and staff alike.

Head of nursing and services for medical and elderly, Louise Adams, said: "They only opened to patients at the weekend, but we have already received some excellent feedback from patients and from staff. The improvements have been designed in-house with input from the staff, which proved very useful."

The second ward directly underneath D3 is due to be completed soon and work will then begin on another two wards in the autumn as part of the rolling programme.

Hospital bosses hope to have those completed by early spring next year when they will look at refurbishing another two wards.

The newly refurbished wards include two extensions, extra single rooms, better wheelchair access and equipment to aid patients and relatives with hearing difficulties as well as more office facilities for staff.

The wards will mainly be used to treat patients with thoracic and respiratory problems.

Mrs Adams added: "The Nightingale wards have served their purpose for a long time, but most people now recognise they are very out-dated. They were built at their time with the best of intention, but it is lovely seeing the new wards up and working and improving a stay in hospital for people."