WE share the concern that health bosses have expressed over the operation of a private "home help" service within a NHS clinic.

While we level no criticism at the Bolton Community Healthcare Trust which is testing its own income-generating service called Optimum Home Care, we believe there could be some confusion among the vulnerable clients, particularly as the telephone number for the service is that of Westhoughton Clinic.

The situation needs to be monitored carefully and certainly not extended unless it can be proved to be working entirely for the clients' benefit.

Previous news story

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.