Families in Great Yarmouth and Waveney could be among the first in the country to have their health care handed over to new clinical groups.

Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, a large slice of the NHS budget will be handed over to clinical commissioning groups, comprised of GPs and other clinicians, who will decide how best to spend it and how to deliver health care for the people in their area.

The NHS Commissioning Board Authority has confirmed the 35 aspiring clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) who have chosen to be assessed in the first wave of applications for authorisation.

Among those is Great Yarmouth and Waveney's CCG, called HealthEast.

The CCGs will, if successful, become the first GP-led statutory bodies from next year.

Applications for authorisation will take place in four waves from July 2012 to January 2013.

Dame Barbara Hakin, national director of commissioning development, said: 'All the emerging clinical commissioning groups have made fantastic progress to prepare themselves for authorisation. Today we are confirming those who have chosen to be assessed in wave one.

'We expect confirmation of which CCGs will be assessed in waves two, three and four shortly.'