The elderly, people with long term conditions and those with mental health issues should receive joined-up health care, according to plans revealed by the NHS.

Patients across east London will soon have a care co-ordinator who will oversee their health and social care and arrange for medical records to be shared.

Health and social care organisations across east London have announced that their plans for greatly improved care for the elderly, people with long term conditions and those with poor mental health, will now form part of a Pioneer Award backed by the Department of Health which means they will get a cash injection and expertise.

Three clinical commissioning groups across east London, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest, together with University College of London partners, local councils, Barts Health NHS Trust, East London NHS Foundation Trust, North East London NHS Foundation Trust and their health and social care provider services want patients to experience more joined up, patient focused care.

The organisations involved, which will recieve a cash injection as part of the award, will work together to integrate the way that care works for local people with complex care needs.

A spokeswoman for Newham CCG said with the number of people in England and Wales with more than one long term condition such as diabetes, asthma or dementia set to rise from 1.9 million in 2008 to 2.9 million in 2018 combined with increasing pressures on A&E departments, the NHS and social care services need to deliver better joined-up care and a more sustainable NHS has never been more urgent.