CHILDREN and elderly patients will be assessed in specialist centres before entering A&E for treatment, bosses behind radical transformation plans have revealed.

The publication of the Mid and South Essex Success Regime’s sustainability and transformation plan confirms two of the region’s emergency departments will be downgraded - with the third providing 24-hour blue light services for the most gravely ill patients.

The regime, one of three across the country in areas where hospitals are struggling with rising debts and staff shortages, wants to see Basildon, Southend and Broomfield hospital, in Chelmsford, working together to save money.

According to the regime, different specialist centres will be created at each of the three hospitals.

Southend Hospital will keep its radiotherapy and cancer services, while Basildon will continue to offer specialist cardiac care.

This has led to speculation that Basildon Hospital, which has a relatively new A&E department, would be best placed to become the specialist emergency centre.

The remaining two hospitals will keep walk-in A&E and assessment services, with dedicated units for young patients and the most frail.

According to the regime, having just one hospital concentrating on major emergencies will free up doctors and nurses for planned operations and specialist care. 

Dr Ronan Fenton, joint medical director of the Mid and South Essex Success Regime, said: “We are not talking about closing an A&E at any of the three hospitals. There could be an A&E for walk-in patients and some patients arriving by ambulance.

This could have the support of an assessment centre for older and frail people, an assessment centre for children and an assessment centre for surgery. 

“These services could serve the majority of emergency cases locally, including overnight stays for observation and treatment, if necessary.”

Dr Fenton added: “For the most serious and life-threatening cases, national evidence tells us that we could save more lives with a specialist emergency hospital for the 1.2 million people of mid and south Essex. 

“We already see this with the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre, in Basildon.

Anyone suffering an acute heart attack in Essex goes there directly by ambulance, where they are seen immediately by top specialists working around the clock.”

Drawing together specialist staff to create “new centres of excellence” is expected to reduce waiting times in A&E, for tests, planned operations and put an end to cancellations.


The plans will go to public consultation in 2017.

Sir Simon Burns, MP for Chelmsford, said: "Over the last month or so, there has been considerable speculation about the future of A&E at Broomfield Hospital.

"Some people have been misled into believing that our A&E was going to be closed down.

"The publication of the Success Regime proposals to improve healthcare for the area have now been published for consultation.

"Needless to say, there is no proposal to close down Broomfield A&E and I warmly welcome that.

"I would strongly urge those who are interested to contribute to the consultation process prior to any final decisions being taken on how to ensure the best and most effective services for our A&E needs."