CHILDHOOD obesity, coronary heart disease and mental health service are just some of the targets to move to the top of the agenda for health chiefs under a new initiative.

CHILDHOOD obesity, coronary heart disease and mental health service are just some of the targets to move to the top of the agenda for health chiefs under a new initiative.

NHS Suffolk, the county's primary care trust has agreed 15 goals to focus on for the next five years under a national initiative to become World Class Commissioners, which enables them to have a greater say on what they concentrate their efforts on.

However it means the trust decided not to concentrate on other healthcare issues such as deaths at home, MMR immunisation, under 18 conception rates, drug treatment times, cancer and alcohol related harm or wellbeing.

Instead health inequalities, life expectancy, GP access, dental access, safety of health services, smoking, patient experience, long term conditions, diabetes, stroke, dementia and hospital bed-blocking will all come under the spotlight for improvements.

The goals were picked from 55 possible choices by clinicians, patients, public and members of NHS Suffolk staff.

Julian Herbert, deputy chief executive of NHS Suffolk, said: “The locally chosen areas are where we specifically have been asked to or need to improve upon our services.

“Such things as cancer are still a very high priority - but they were not identified as areas for specific improvement under the umbrella of World Class Commissioning.

“NHS Suffolk will continue to focus on improving all areas of NHS care.”

What areas of healthcare would you like to see NHS Suffolk focus on? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.