ORSETT Hospital could be closed down as part of a major shake-up of health services in the area.

The Gazette understands the hospital, which offers a minor injury unit as well as clinics such as dermatology, neurology and pain management, could be sold off to make way for housing.

It comes as Basildon Hospital, which is part of the same trust as Orsett, is set to become the main specialist emergency centre for the area. Under the Mid and South Essex Success Regime plans, Southend and Broomfield, in Chelmsford, will be downgraded to take fewer serious cases.

A spokesman for Basildon Hospital said: “There are discussions taking place around the future of local hospital and community-based health services through the Essex Success Regime and the joint Thurrock Clinical Commissioning Group and Thurrock Council proposals set out in For Thurrock, in Thurrock.

“The services currently provided at Orsett Hospital are being considered as part of these and no decisions will be made without first asking those who use the services, residents and staff for their views.”

The plans were first revealed at a hustings event in Thurrock. Conservative candidate Jackie Doyle-Price said during the event that Orsett Hospital would be sold off to housing developers.

She told the meeting that “NHS trusts should be free to sell that land if they want” and “that’s exactly what’s going to happen with regard to Orsett Hospital."

The news has sparked concern for residents, especially due to the current plans to merge services.

NHS campaigner Christine Papalabropoulos, 60, from Wickford, whose daughter Tina died of pneumonia in 2009, said: “You get children going to Orsett Hospital for operations – where are they going to go?

“Southend, Broomfield and Basildon are not managing – as a group or individually. “Thurrock is going to be left with no health services so all those people are going to be coming to Basildon.

“Orsett Hospital is used quite a bit by people with minor injuries and they will now go Basildon.

“They do not have enough services elsewhere to close Orsett Hospital. Basildon Hospital can’t cope at the moment, and it is concerning that extra people will be going there.”