A senior representative of Thurrock Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has shown her support for the closure of Orsett Hospital, saying she wants to bring healthcare to the "whole of Thurrock."

Accountable Officer for Thurrock CCG, Mandy Ansell, told the Gazette that there is going to be "a lot of new medical buildings” coming to the borough, all with integrated services.

These include proposed centres in Tilbury, Purfleet, Grays and Corringham, which are set to open in 2020/21.

But, with all the new centres opening, one old hospital is set to close its doors.

One of the most controversial topics in the borough of Thurrock is proposed closure of Orsett Hospital.

Ansell has argued that keeping the hospital open will be unviable because it is "falling down."

She said: “The specific problem with Orsett is that it’s falling down.

“We have not got the funds to maintain a building that is not for the future and it’s not good for what we want to do.

“It’s good if you live in Orsett, sure, but it’s not good if you live in towns like Corringham or Purfleet.”

The Thurrock Labour Group have recently launched a campaign to save the hospital from closure.

The group have written up a petition to prevent it from shutting down and have urged residents to sign.

But Ansell wanted to assure residents that "the services will not be moved out of Orsett until the new medical centres are opened in 2020/21."

Although the opening of these new medical centres will provide closer healthcare for residents living in towns such as Purfleet and Tilbury, those living in Orsett and the surrounding villages will have to travel further.

Answering these concerns, Ansell said: “I want to say that we have to bring healthcare to the whole of Thurrock.

“It’s normal for people to have a perceived inconvenience if there is change, but that’s not the case.

“My mother lives in a rural area of Gloucestershire and she has to travel 30 miles to get to her nearest hospital.

“For a small proportion of people, it will mean having to travel further; but for the majority it will mean closer services.”

A consultation into moving services out of Orsett Hospital to other areas of the borough, as well as Basildon and Thurrock Hospital, is currently underway.

Residents have until March 9 to answer the consultation. It can either be done online or via post.

Ansell is optimistic about the future of healthcare in Thurrock.

She said:“I am incredibly excited about this.

"I think, as a CCG, we believe that this is going to be an amazing opportunity for the people of Thurrock.”