NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney’s board has agreed plans to transfer community services away from the primary care trust to a new staff-led social enterprise organisation.

Currently community services, which includes physiotherapy, podiatry, district nursing and prison healthcare, will move out of primary care trusts as part of current policy prior to their abolition.

David Edwards, chairman at NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney, said: “There are roughly four stages in the process to transfer community services. Last autumn the board agreed to the process of pursuing the social enterprise route and we approved the latest version of the business plan.

“The next steps will be wider consultation on the plan, finalising detailed financial models and a thorough due diligence process prior to final approval by the PCT and NHS East of England.”

A social enterprise is a business with social aims that is set up specifically to benefit the community. It is not a charity and profits are not collected but any surplus is put back into furthering the organisation’s social aims.

Roger Moyse, interim chief operating officer of NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney’s Community Services, added: “The proposed social enterprise won’t be an NHS organisation, but will operate in the not for profit sector.

“Staff will have the opportunity and advantage in being shareholders themselves – without any profit to be made – and will be central to adapting and moving forward services.

“This is a real opportunity for front-line clinical staff to own their organisation and have freedom and authority to develop better services for patients. There are some good foundation for service development and I know our staff are fully committed to providing the best possible care for patients.

“I am really pleased that we have received the full backing of the PCT Board.”