SHOPPERS have been encouraged to get talking about the £28.8 million plan for Bolton’s health and social services.

A community roadshow was launched in Victoria Square yesterday to get feedback on plans to make the town’s healthcare fit for the future.

Bolton is the first locality to receive Transformation Funding to implement changes over the next five years as part of the Greater Manchester devolution.

Councillor Linda Thomas said: “The whole country is looking to us to see how we deliver integrated healthcare.

“People are interested to see how this health devolution works because the rest of the country is in a mess quite frankly. So there’s no pressure!”

Plans for this year include a new £151,000 mental health crisis centre, investing £53,000 into expanding dementia services, employing physiotherapists and pharmacists to work alongside GPS, and setting up phone or video consultations with GPs for care home residents

The roadshow aims to discuss the plans with the public and gain feedback on the direction of the services.

It included a with Big Brother style ‘diary room’ in a campervan for people to record videos sharing their opinions of healthcare in Bolton.

Grandfather Malcolm Vernon from Morris Green welcomes plans to bring more care support into the community but used the diary room to express concerns over a lack of workforce in the NHS.

The 77-year-old said: “A lot of people can’t get to a physio, they don’t come round like they used to.

“We need to keep hold of our local doctors, these are the people we know and have confidence in.”

The roadshow also included a chance to chat to teams like He4althwatch about services available to help care at home, music, and a climbing wall

There will be further opportunities for residents to share opinions on the ‘Big Plan’ in the coming months as voluntary groups and Healthwatch hold events around the community.

They can also share views online at boltonccg.nhs.uk or bolton.go.uk.

The plan has been produced jointly by NHS Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Bolton Council, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Healthwatch Bolton, Bolton CVS and voluntary and community sector organisations.

CCG chief officer Su Long added: “This is a genuine conversation we want to have with people in Bolton. We want to make sure the plan works for the community and talk to neighbourhoods.

“It is all about the details on the plan now and getting a good workforce in place.

“Staff recruitment has already begun and more pharmacists are already being recruited.

“However, when it comes to working in neighbourhoods, we want to talk to people about what they want before we start doing it.

“It is very exciting.”