Our top ten plans to provide a better local service are to:

• further improve access to appointments with GPs and other members of primary healthcare teams
  
  
• increase access to health services closer to people's homes
  
  
• continue to develop services to help people to return home from hospital sooner and, in partnership with our colleagues in Social Services, to enable those people who wish to remain at home to do so
  
  
• introduce more intermediate care services (care between hospital and home)
  
  
• improve the health of the public and help older people to stay healthy and lead independent lives through promoting healthy lifestyles e.g. reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease though advice about obesity, healthy eating and smoking cessation
  
  
• make it easier for the public to get information about the NHS locally e.g. through websites, leaflets and the Community Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
  
  
• speed up times for outpatient appointments and increase the range of outpatient clinics held within the PCT area
  
  
• increase access at our community hospitals to diagnostic services e.g. further develop x-ray at local hospitals
  
  
• carry out more operations as day-cases
  
  
• develop opportunities for staff and communities to get involved in planning the future of local services though the establishment of Locality Fora and Community Involvement Partnerships across the PCT area