MENTAL health patients will benefit from a new rapid response service at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

The NHS Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group has invested more than £500,000 in the 24 hour Rapid Assessment Interface and Discharge (RAID) service to improve care for patients with mental health problems.

The service will be delivered by Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and is now operating at the Royal Bolton Hospital site.

It means patients will have access to a specialist assessment with a mental health worker during their visit to hospital.

The CCG say the new service could save £1.5 million by reducing the length of a patient’s stay at hospital and reducing the number of readmissions. Dr Barry Silvert, clinical director for integrated comm-issioning, at the CCG said: “It is the culmination of a great deal of work by NHS Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group.

“I am very pleased to see the new RAID service now in operation because I know that it will make a huge difference to patient care.

“Early diagnosis of mental health conditions means that patients get the help they need much sooner, which is good news for everyone. This can dramatically improve their quality of life as well as relieving pressure on our local health services.”

Up to 60 per cent of patients admitted to hospital in Bolton have a mental illness, such as dementia or depression.

The CCG says hospital staff trained to deal with physical health may not have the skills or training to deal with mental health problems.

It is hoped the new service will also help dementia patients distressed by being in hospital.