PEOPLE are to be asked for their views on the new Bolton, Salford and Trafford Mental Health Trust which comes into force next April in a government shake up of the way mental health services are run.

A shadow partnership was set up this spring to run the area's mental health services and now the government wants to know what Bolton people really think about the merger.

Some mental health patients have expressed concern that Bolton is to be managed from Salford feeling that the services in the town may suffer because of the distance.

And members of Bolton's Community Health Council have also expressed confusion over the consultation and said that health chiefs had tried to reduce the 12 week consultation.

A spokesman for the newly-formed Strategic Health Authority said that this had been a misunderstanding and that there had been no plans to reduce the consultation.

The spokesman added that it was not unusual for consultation to take place after an official body had been set up.

If Bolton people object to the merger, then health chiefs and the government will be forced to take their views into consideration.

Public meetings are to be held in Bolton until February and experts are available to explain the changes to mental health groups, workers and those who use the services. both in the community and at hospital.

A consultation document is available on the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority's website at www.gmsha.nhs.uk/consultation HERE