A NEW GP surgery that has tailored its “bespoke” services to the specific health problems of its patients has launched.

Health challenges faced by people living in East Brighton include higher rates of heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cancer, resulting in increased emergency hospital admissions.

The new practice, Brighton’s newest GP surgery, at the Wellsbourne Health Centre in Whitehawk Road has extra NHS services delivered by a multi-disciplinary team of GPs, clinical pharmacists and a nursing team.

It will also have roles that are new to local GP surgeries such as community health engagement workers and a community link worker, who will work with community groups and local services to improve health and wellbeing in the area.

Wellsbourne Healthcare Community Interest Company, which runs the practice, has joined with Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust to provide the services.

Whitehawk, in east Brighton, is the most deprived area of Brighton and Hove, according to the Government’s Indices of Deprivation report in 2015.

Some parts were so deprived they came in behind areas of Tower Hamlets in London and Moss Side in Manchester.

Males living in the city’s most deprived areas can expect to live ten years and 31 weeks less than males living in the least deprived areas.

For females, the difference is six years and 31 weeks, according to the Brighton and Hove City Snapshot: Report of Statistics 2014.

Among the health problems that contributed to the gap in life expectancy were coronary heart disease, lung cancer and chronic cirrhosis of the liver.

The practice, which opened in April, has now been officially launched.

Natalie Bluhm, a director of Wellsbourne Healthcare and its advanced nurse practitioner, said she was “excited” about the the practice.

She said: “So much of what we do is directed by them and they have been involved with the major decisions every step of the way so far.

“Working together with the residents, the trust, the local authority, the voluntary sector and community-led groups is essential if we want to maximise health improvement in the area.”

Residents were invited to the practice for the launch event, which had games, free yoga taster sessions and an opportunity for residents to vote for their favourite community group’s project idea.

In September, another event will be held with community group leaders, local authority services, community service providers, school staff, health professionals and council leaders, giving other groups a chance to find out more about Wellsbourne Healthcare’s bespoke approach.