People's health across Great Yarmouth and Waveney is being left in good hands out-going NHS bosses said this week.

The claims were made on Wednesday at the last annual general meeting and board meeting of NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney, which is set to be replaced next year by the GP-led Great Yarmouth and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group, also known as HealthEast, as part of a radical reform of the NHS.

As well as saying that HealthEast was well prepared for the changeover the outgoing chairman, Sheila Childerhouse, and chief executive, Andrew Morgan, described some of the ways Great Yarmouth and Waveney NHS has improved people's lives.

In the last year the body has helped 2,000 people stopped smoking, has carried 6,000 health checks, made �12.8m of efficiencies without impacting in care and invested in facilities such as the third phase of Yarmouth's Greyfriars Clinic and the opening of Phoenix House.

Wednesday's meeting also heard how since the primary care trust (PCT) was set up 12 years ago life expectancy had risen from 76.6 years to 78.8 years for men and 81.2 years to 82.8 years for women and three month waiting lists had fallen by about 50pc.

Summing up its achievements Mrs Childerhouse said: 'Great Yarmouth and Waveney became one of the best performing PCTs in the country.'

Mr Morgan '2011/12 was a successful year for this organisation. I think it is a particularly special part of the NHS. I know local people's health is safe in their ( HealthEast) hand's. I know they will do well.'

Over the last 12 years the region's population has grown by 4.5pc and NHS funding in Yarmouth and Waveney increased from �277m annually to �412.

HealthEast is due to become the first of five clinical commissioning groups for Norfolk and Waveney and is one of 33 groups bidding to be among the first created nationally.

Speaking on Wednesday was Dr John Stammers, chairman of HealthEast, who promised to focus on patients in everything his organisation would do.

He said: 'We are in a strong position because of the legacy of the PCT is handing over.'