RECOVERING drug addicts will not have to travel out of Bolton to get the help they need, council bosses have promised.

Contracts for pharmacies to provide needle exchanges and supervised methadone consumption, something previously controlled by Public Health England, are now decided by Bolton Council.

Some chemists did not successfully complete the authority’s tender process and pharmacists were concerned recovering addicts would have to travel longer distances to get the help they need.

But the council has now opened a second procurement process for pharmacies which were not successful the first time, in order to ensure there are no geographical gaps in the service provided.

A council spokesman said: “The council was legally required to undertake a tender exercise for needle exchange and supervised consumption services with Bolton pharmacies.

“We have completed the first tender process and whilst many local pharmacies were successful, there were gaps in some areas of the borough.”

“Throughout this process the council has worked closely with the Local Pharmaceutical Committee, which represents all of Bolton’s pharmacies.

“We also recognised that this was a new process for some pharmacies and offered them briefing sessions and advice to help them through the process.”

Under the old arrangements, approximately 40 pharmacies in Bolton provided these services.

Bolton Council would not confirm precisely how many pharmacies will receive contracts under the new system, because the tender process is still ongoing.

The spokesman added: “Overall we do not expect any significant change in the number of pharmacies delivering these services in Bolton.”