It started as one man's prescription to provide dignity and support for the elderly and vulnerable.

Aylsham Care Trust (ACT) was the first community-led integrated health and social care scheme of its kind in the UK when it was launched 31 years ago.

Now the charity's new executive director, former volunteer Daniel Williams, has revealed plans to expand - in North Walsham.

He takes over ACT as it moves into a pivotal new stage, having merged with The Griffon social care to form a new partnership.

Mr Williams said: 'We already serve thousands of people in the Aylsham area but we want to expand this particularly into North Walsham, and of course all over the district.

'Another focus is going to be working more closely with primary care sources such as local GPs, to get a sense of what it is patients need.'

A future goal for the ACT is also developing a strategy to evaluate how well their services are improving health care in the region.

Mr Williams, who previously worked for Norfolk cancern charity Big C, said: 'We obviously think the service we provide is fantastic but we want to be able to prove that the support we provide is saving money higher up the care chain because people aren't getting into crisis situations.'

The charity is also working on developing a personal assistant role, which would allow individuals to have a help with more day-to-day tasks like cooking a meal or doing their shopping.

Mr Williams continued: 'We can provide the help of just a conversation to help with people feeling isolated.'

North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb has welcomed the new appointment.

He said: 'The development of the St Michael's integrated health and social care complex in Aylsham, driven by the local community, has provided a blueprint for partnership working which I am really keen should be further developed and pursued in far more places.

'Such an appointment, which further strengthens Aylsham and District Care Trust's experience of strategic community partnerships across acute and community based health and social care, is an important further step in developing sustainable shared partnership solutions for the future.'