1. Increasing life expectancy
Life expectancy has been increasing in North East Essex for many years and the prospect of a long and healthy life is better than it has ever been. We have set ourselves the ambitious goal to increase life expectancy faster than current trends.

What are your views on our plans to help people have longer, healthier lives?  What else could we do to achieve this goal?

2. Reducing health inequalities
The difference between health and life expectancy between our most affluent and deprived communities is stark. With the health inequalities in North East Essex currently getting worse, we are determined to improve the health and life expectancy of people in vulnerable groups or living in deprived communities.

What are your views on our plans to reduce health inequalities? What else could we do to reduce health inequalities by making better use of NHS resources?

3. Improving patients’ experience
It is vital that local services give the best possible experience for patients, whether this is being able to easily make an appointment with a GP or feeling looked after and comfortable in hospital. Services need to focus on what matters to patients as well as what matters clinically.

What are your views on our plans to improve patients’ experience? What else could we do to improve patients’ experience while also making better use of NHS resources?

4. Improving the safety of local services
Healthcare in the 21st Century uses powerful drugs and major operations which can cause harm, sometimes lethal harm. We are determined to make sure our local services are as safe as they can be.

What are your views on our goal to improve safety? What else could we do to improve safety while using NHS resources more effectively?

5. Achieving better value for money
Many of the improvements we’re planning for the next few years will both enhance services for patients and make NHS resources go further.

All of this will mean a shift in the centre of gravity in the local NHS to more services in primary care and community settings thus reducing the need for hospital care.

What do you think about our approach to use NHS resources more effectively? What other suggestions do you have?