Published on the eve of the health service's 60th birthday, the report – High Quality of Care for All – was written by Lord Ara Darzi and says NHS services should do more to promote good health.

Dr Marion Waters was asked to lead a group looking at how to improve urgent care services.

One of the main messages from the urgent care group is that people are confused by the wide range of NHS services.

The group also said more has to be done to stop people becoming ill in the first place.

Dr Waters said: "It is clear from Lord Darzi's report that he has listened to what we have told him.

"Everyone knows that people who live in the North West have some of the worst health in the country. This puts a massive strain on our emergency services.

"In May we published our own North West vision for NHS services, Healthier Horizons, in which we called for a greater emphasis on promoting good health and preventing ill-health.

"The NHS has achieved a great deal and there are some excellent services for people when they are poorly, but it is clear that something radically different needs to be done to stop people who live in our poorest communities dying early when they reach their 50s."

The group also said a single separate telephone number for urgent services is needed, to sit alongside the 999 telephone number for emergency access, to make it easier for people to get to the right treatment.