HUGE improvements are planned for health services across Kirklees over the next decade.

A world class NHS healthcare service scheme has been unveiled, which is designed to give people more choice about their treatment.

The Healthy Ambitions programme identified key areas for improvement, including halting the rise in obesity and offering mental health services immediately to those in need.

Mike Potts, chief executive of Kirklees Primary Care Trust, said: “Healthy Ambitions sets out a direction for the future of health and healthcare that has been developed and owned by patients, doctors, nurses, clinicians and the public together.

“Kirklees PCT is already addressing many of the priorities that have been identified in Healthy Ambitions.

“Examples include work that Kirklees PCT has done with partner organisations in a number of areas including the promotion of breastfeeding and reducing obesity. Significant progress is also being made on specialist community and mental health services.”

Hundreds of doctors, nurses, midwives and health professionals in Kirklees had their say on what needed to be done in the borough.

The plans will be implemented over the next decade with priorities including:

A better system with fewer journeys for patients, carers and families

Healthier lifestyles – with a halt in the rise in obesity

Increasing breastfeeding rates

Halving the number of children admitted to hospital with asthma

Making mental health services available without waiting

Halving the number of preventable admissions from diabetes

Saving 600 premature deaths every year with better stroke care

Doubling the number of people able to choose to die at home rather than hospital

Last year staff at Meltham Road Surgery met the NHS chief executive David Nicholson as part of the major review.

They were able to give their experiences of daily life in a surgery and the current issues and challenges they face.

The review involved input from patients, doctors, nurses and other health practitioners, who were able to say what improvements they wanted to see.