Health bosses yesterday rubber stamped a long-term plan in a bid to provide people in Great Yarmouth and Waveney with the fastest improving health in England.

Health bosses yesterday rubber stamped a long-term plan in a bid to provide people in Great Yarmouth and Waveney with the fastest improving health in England.

Tackling smoking, obesity, cancer and offering health checks for people aged between 40 and 74 are some of the areas health chiefs at NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney are focusing on.

The public pledges are being made as part of the organisation's five-year strategy which was yesterday approved by the health trust's board.

Dr Alistair Lipp, the trust's director of public health, said: “As a primary care trust we have set out this long-term plan because we want to have the fastest improving health in the region.

“We want to achieve a 20pc reduction in inequalities for our community, we want to improve access and choice for patients, as well as improve quality and safety.

“We plan to do this by leading the way in a large number of projects including the improvement of dementia services, maintaining the high access to dentistry we already have in this area, improving the uptake of the immunisations we provide and to tackle tobacco control and teenage pregnancy.”

The document also includes a focus on working with seldom heard groups and from last November the trust employed a specialist health visitor to work specifically with travellers, migrant workers and other seldom heard groups in the area. The trust also employs a health trainer working specifically with seldom heard groups.

Dr Jamie Wyllie, chair of NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney's clinical executive committee, said: “As a practising local GP I wholeheartedly support this five-year strategy. The trust is focusing on the right areas to improve the health of the population we serve and although economic times for the NHS are difficult I am excited by these plans.”