Doctors pledged to improve the quality of health services for people at the first meeting of the new health commissioners.

GPs in Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley, made the pledge and said they would be looking at the quality of services patients receive.

Dr Bhaskar Bora, chairman of NHS Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley Clinical Commissioning Group’s governing body, said: “Addressing the quality of services for patients is at the heart of everything we do.

"That is why we are involved in the CCG. That is what motivates us.”

The group which includes all of the area’s doctors took over planning and paying for most of the health services for the area’s 249,000 population at the beginning of April.

The organisation has £278 million to spend on services this year.

The GPs are represented by the governing body which met in public for the first time at the meeting which was held at the White Oak Indoor Bowls Club, Swanley in April .

It has identified three priorities for its first year.

These are to ensure patients with long-term conditions have integrated care plans to help them manage to help prevent the need of emergency hospital treatment.

To utilise end-of-life care registers so people are more likely to die in their place of choice and to focus on one of the main causes of death in the area - heart disease.

Doctors also say the towns also have a high average of patients who are overweight with high blood pressure, increasing the risk of stokes and heart attacks.

Emergency hospital admissions for diabetes are also above average in the area.

The organisation also agreed its constitution and complaints policy.

The next CCG meeting is being held at Gravesend Cricket Club, Bat and Ball Ground, Wrotham Road, Gravesend, on Tuesday, May 21, from 1pm to 4pm.

The agenda can be viewed on www.dartfordgraveshamswanleyccg.nhs.net, or call 03000 424903 for more information.

Anyone can ask a question about an agenda item, email yours to dgs.ccg@nhs.net at least three days before the event.