Hundreds of housing estate residents are to get a permanent GP after waiting for more than a year.

A new family doctor service is to be set up in Whitehawk, Brighton, as part of the Government's New Deal for Communities scheme.

The move comes after local residents identified better health facilities as one of their priorities.

The estate has been without a permanent GP following the retirement of the previous doctor last year and has been served by a locum instead.

New Deal is a Government initiative involving local people in developing services which meet their needs.

The new service will also include a nurse practitioner to take health services out to the community and develop the sort of services local people want.

Both workers will be employed by South Downs Health NHS Trust which provides community, mental health, rehabilitation and children's services to people in the Brighton, Hove and Lewes areas.

The service, due to start in April, is the result of a partnership between the trust, the New Deal scheme, East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority and Brighton and Hove Primary Care Group.

Sarah Healey, South Downs' acting nurse executive, said: "This is really good news for local people and we are looking forward to working with the local community to develop the sort of health services they need.

"Both new posts will be advertised in the New Year."

Allan Brown, health authority primary care development manager, said: "This is a great opportunity to develop an enhanced family doctor with the aim of improving the health of all residents of Whitehawk."

The new service is a Personal Medical Services pilot scheme - a Department of Health initiative to develop flexible and innovative ways of providing family doctor services.