A PLAN to deliver health services in Essex over the next ten years "shockingly" fails to mention specific details on the the future of Orsett Hospital.

Kevin Garrod, anchor programme manager at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, attended a meeting of Thurrock Council's adult and health services overview and scrutiny committee to outline the trust's healthcare strategy over the next decade.

The strategy involves providing more health services in the community to alleviate pressure on hospitals.

In 2020 it was announced crumbling Orsett Hospital would be closed within five years and its services transferred to four integrated medical centres in Grays, Tilbury, Purfleet and Corringham.

However, only Corringham has opened, with the cash-strapped trust unable to fund the others.

Speaking at the meeting on Thursday (31 July), Neil Speight, Independent councillor for Stanford-le-Hope West said the future of Orsett Hospital and its services was an important one for Thurrock residents but it had largely been ignored in the ten-year strategy. He stated the plan mentions Orsett Hospital "once".

Cllr Speight said: "The health foundation cannot be unaware that a great many local services will continue to be provided at Orsett Hospital for a number of years to come, certainly a significant part of this ten-year plan, but you make no mention of what you're going to do about a hospital that everyone accepts is not fit for purpose, which desperately needs more than £10 million spending on it just to even scratch the service surface of how bad it actually is.

"I find it really disappointing. What we actually want to see is an improved health service on our doorstep. We are just not getting it and what we've got is going downhill and yet it merits one mention in one paragraph at the beginning of all this prose."

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Asked what was planned for the future of the hospital, Mr Garrod said: "Orsett Hospital remains open and functioning. The precise plans around it at this stage we don't know."

Mr Garrod said he would provide more information in writing.

Angered by the response, Cllr Speight added: "It is just shocking. Orsett Hospital has been a major topic for this borough and you are just being completely dismissive of it."

After the meeting, Andrew Pike, Chief Operating Officer at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We understand the anxiety around the maintaining health services within Thurrock.

"The Trust's strategy covers all our hospital sites, Orsett Hospital is mentioned once, and is very much part of the Trust's 10-year strategy for developing community-based care closer to home.

"We will be working closely with Thurrock Council and all our wider health and care partners to support discussions around the future of the hospital.

"Plans are being developed to see how and where Orsett – along with all our other sites – will best benefit patients over the next 10 years. We will bring updates back to the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee."