PATIENTS with long-term illnesses will be expected to take greater responsibility for their own health under new proposals, aimed at reducing pressure on the NHS.

Southend Clinical Commissioning Group has announced trials of a scheme aimed at encouraging patients to improve their diet, take more exercise and live healthier lives.

The scheme is being tried in Southend. The borough is said to have more older people than that for the rest of England and greater levels of deprivation.

The commissioning group says 31 per cent of residents have at least one long-term condition – close to the national average.

However, 12.9 per cent have three or more long-term conditions – more than the national average of 10.5 per cent. People with long term conditions usually make much greater use of health services and account for 70 per cent of national healthcare spending.

The group’s report also found on average, patients who took care of their own wellbeing cost the NHS eight per cent less than those who did not.

They were also more likely to attend screening appointments and go for check-ups and vaccinations. The group hopes by encouraging people to take better care of themselves, it can reduce the numbers suffering from hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic pain and mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression.

Dr Andrea Atherton, the group’s director of public health, said: “We will be running a pilot scheme at some GP practices, involving at least 3,400 patients.

“They will be offered a programme appropriate to their level of activation.”

She said the programme would involve working with GP surgeries to look at what they are doing already.