A MERGER of Bolton's mental health services with Salford is being hailed as "the best thing for the NHS for many years."

Manager of Bolton's mental health service, Mr Ron Howard, says the merger will be "a huge leap forward for Bolton" and has insisted that it will not be a takeover.

Bolton is to join Salford Mental Health Trust in April next year.

The town's mental health service will continue to run its hospital wards and community programmes -- but will be managed by the new Bolton and Salford Mental Health Partnership.

Cash will come from the soon-to-be set-up Bolton Primary Care Trust with Bolton promised not to lose any of its budget to the neighbouring city.

Mr Howard has given assurances to thousands of patients and staff that treatment will only get better and that there will be no fundamental changes in the service.

He said: "There have been many gaps in our service and this way we will be able to use the expertise of an established mental health trust to bring about new services and improvements.

"It is the best thing for the NHS for many a long year."

Mental health is currently under the umbrella of the Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust but will switch by April 2002.

The clinical director of mental health for Bolton, Dr Mike Brownlee, will be on the board of the new partnership alongside two non-executives from Bolton.

The change is part of the government's national framework for mental health.

High on Mr Howard's agenda will be improving crisis care for severely mentally ill people by visiting their homes.

He is hoping for a larger budget for 2002 to make these changes.

Mr Howard said: "There is absolutely no question of the wards disappearing from the Royal Bolton Hospital. Bolton people will continue to be treated in Bolton. Staff from Bolton will continue to work their same contract.

"The advantages of being part of a highly specialised trust, with the ability to attract better funding, is a good thing."

Mr Howard revealed that Trafford is also thinking about linking its mental health governance to Salford and Bolton.

He added: "The Mental Health Service in Bolton has improved year on year and the coming together with Salford, who are nationally regarded experts in mental health, will mean a better service for Bolton. It is very much the case of the bigger the better.

"What we are bringing to Salford will be our expertise in how to manage on a shoe-string budget!

"Bolton will have a real say in producing these services in Bolton. We have had a brilliant relationship with the acute trust and we don't want to lose that relationship -- we won't lose that relationship with the hospital."