THE serving chairman of the Bolton Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Mr Ray Makin, has been officially appointed to hand over power of grassroots health in spring 2002.

He has been re-appointed chairman in the stop gap when the newly-formed Bolton Primary Care Trust takes over in April next year.

In an oversight, Mr Makin's chairmanship ran out at the end of October.

The NHS Appointments Commission confirmed that Mr Makin will now serve until March and will be paid £15,550 to head up the community medical team.