TWO health projects aimed at improving healthcare for patients in Worcestershire have been highlighted on a national level for their excellence.

The projects were praised as part of a pioneering programme called NHS Live, launched this week, aimed at improving and developing tailor-made personal healthcare for patients.

NHS Live is a year-long national project and will see the development of hundreds of local projects around the country, each involving patients in finding new ways of redesigning services to meet their needs.

Some 349 NHS and Social Care organisations are taking part, including South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust, and each is identifying local learning projects that will focus on involving patients in designing services to boost user satisfaction.

Two projects in South Worcestershire have been put forward as areas of good practice and have been highlighted by the NHS Live panel.

The first is its District Nursing Strategy, said Janet Ferguson, spokeswoman for the trust.

"When the PCT was formed in April 2002, from the three Primary Care Groups in South Worcestershire, the district nursing teams had different ways of working and there was not equity across the South Worcestershire area," she explained.

"After an audit, a professional clinical group, was set up, and, essentially, included views from district nursing staff and patients.

"Clinical tutors then led educational requirements, and training needs.

"The service has now been shaped to the national strategy and local health needs and better service management and planning is in place which has improved patient care."

The other initiative is the PCT's Partnership Footcare Scheme, which sees "at risk" patients having their feet cared for and nails cut, and is run with the help of Age Concern.

There are now eight trained volunteers and two clinics in Worcester City, two in Malvern, one in Pershore and another in Evesham. The scheme has 178 clients on its books and the figure is rising.

"This has been a tremendous success," added Mrs Ferguson.

NHS Live was launched officially on Wednesday, with an event in London attended by six representatives from South Worcestershire PCT, including chief executive Mike Ridley and chairman David Barlow.