MEMBERS of Purfleet-on-Thames' Community Forum have been briefed on plans for a new integrated medical centre in the town.

At their recent meeting they received a presentation about the scheme to build four centres across the borough in Purfleet, Corringham, Tilbury and Grays. Work has already begun on the first of the centres at Corringham.

Nicola Windsor, part of the management team for the IMC project, spoke about the overarching scheme which will ultimately mean the closure of Orsett Hospital, saying: "This is very much a partnership between the NHS, Thurrock Council and the local community and we all want to see health and care services delivered closer to where people live in modern buildings with a range of services delivered by staff with many different health and care disciplines designed to prevent people needing to go to hospital.

"IMCs are all about early intervention and prevention.

"We have been working on this programme for a number of years and the need for these integrated medical centres has been strengthened not reduced by our e4xperience with Covid.

"A lot of our GP practices are under huge pressure and the population of Thurrock is growing. We know we need to expand the capacity and the quality of primary care services.

"The new medical centres will mean moving from outdated facilities and services working in silo to specifically-designed buildings delivering a joined up health and social care community and third sector care approach with Thurrock residents at the heart."

She went on to say that the new Purfleet IMC will be located close to the heart of a new town centre and will primarily serve Purfleet, Aveley and South Ockendon.

She added: "Purfleet residents will also be able to attend other IMCs for appointments which will hopefully help with patient choice.

"The IMCs are for all Thurrock residents in terms of outpatients, diagnostics and blood tests.

"They will bring together a new primary care offer, social care services such as well-being teams and community led support alongside technology enabled care and relocate a number of outpatient services into the community from Orsett Hospital.

"So Thurrock Council and the NHS partners alongside the community and the voluntary sector remain committed to developing the IMCs.

She concluded by telling members of the forum that plans would continue to be refined until March then presented via community engagement.

However, assurances given to members at the forum appear to have been less than convincing for other observers.

A list has been compiled by campaigners seeking to keep Orsett Hospital open which details many of the dozens of services it offers.

It features dozens of different specialisms, among them dermatology, diabetic medicine, ear, nose & throat clinics, endocrinology and metabolic medicine, gastrointestinal and liver services, generiatric medicine, gynaecology, haematology and dozens and dozens more.

The list prepared and meant to reassure residents is remarkable in comparison by its lack of detail and will no doubt do little to assuage doubt about the new IMCs and add to the belief they will only scratch the surface of care in the borough - forcing people to attend centres well outside the borough.

It is hoped the new Purfleet centre will be ready to open by the end of 2023.

Members then saw diagrams of the proposed new building and how it will be over two floors as part of a larger residential building. Detail was sparse, particularly in relation to issues like transport and parking but members were told that each community will be offered the opportunity to name the building in a local competition to name the building and schools will be offered the chance to come together to create a mural for each of the IMCs.

They were told: "This reflects the importance of the local community being stronger together and focusing on self-care and wellbeing."