A LEADING Thurrock councillor has called for a meeting with a government minister to discuss the state of health care in the borough.

Portfolio holder for Health, Social Care and Wellbeing, Cllr Mark Hooper, has written to Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, highlighting a number of causes for concern.

He says: "Thurrock was told Orsett Hospital would not close, nor its services diminished, unless adequate alternatives were provided. Yet, the hospital has been allowed to deteriorate, with £10 to £12 million required for urgent repairs to keep it operational.

"Fifty per cent of Orsett Hospital's services will now be transferred to a new diagnostic centre at Long Lane which we were led to believe would supplement, not replace, existing services in the area. This raises concerns about Thurrock's overall health care capacity.

"Thurrock also faces a severe shortage of GPs. Recent data from the BBC highlights that Thurrock has the highest patient-to-GP ratio in the country, with 3,431 patients per GP.

"Additionally, the nearest major hospital, Basildon Hospital, is struggling to meet national standards in several key areas, particularly in cancer care and children's outpatient services, where waiting times exceed 64 weeks. There are also worrying reports regarding early patient discharges and serious concerns about the safety of the hospital's maternity services."

Cllr Hooper's letter to the minister (which can be read in full here) ends with: "I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss these concerns in more detail and explore potential solutions to ensure that Thurrock's residents receive the quality of health care they deserve."