ADULTS with mental health needs will benefit from a quarter of million pounds funding boost.

Bolton’s Shared Lives scheme is set to receive £127,000 from NHS England, via the national Shared Lives Plus organisation, plus match funding from NHS Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

It is one of only five schemes in the country to be awarded funding and will go towards creating care placements for people in need.

The money will enable Shared Lives to recruit new carers and offer training in mental health awareness, so that adults with mental health issues can live more independently and with the correct support.

Cllr Linda Thomas, deputy leader of Bolton Council and chairman of the Bolton Cares steering committee, said: "The Shared Lives scheme has been running in Bolton for more than 30 years and is one of the largest in Greater Manchester with around 49 long term and 42 short term placements.

"This welcome funding will enable us to help even more vulnerable adults in a safe community environment as an alternative to residential care or a hospital stay."

Shared Lives is a placement scheme for adults with learning disabilities, mental health issues or a physical disability.

The new funding will enable the service, which is run by Bolton Cares, to offer more placements to adults with mental health issues and the placements will be commissioned by NHS Bolton CCG.

Two new roles will be created within the service which will coordinate a recruitment drive for new carers who will receive specific training in mental health.

It is hoped an initial 15 placements will be created on both a long and short term basis.

Service users can benefit from short or long term placements within a family environment as an alternative to a residential home or living alone.

It is hoped that by expanding the Shared Lives service it will enable vulnerable adults to be placed with carers as an alternative to being admitted to hospital or before they return home after a hospital stay.

Chief executive of Bolton Cares, John Livesey, said: "Shared Lives is a wonderful service that really works for the benefit of both service users and carers.

"The people who use our service become part of a loving family and our carers are experienced in what they do and get so much fulfilment from helping others.

"Since forming Bolton Cares as a not-for-profit company, this is the first major funding boost for us and shows commitment from our partners to developing and improving local adult social care services.

"We’re delighted with the outcome and looking forward to recruiting more carers and meeting new service users."