South Essex clinical commissioning groups are agreeing the details for modernising healthcare which includes establishing a hyper-acute stroke unit at Basildon Hospital.

The joint committee of clinical commissioning groups will put forward their proposals for a public consultation at the end of the month.

These include a new hyper acute stroke unit in Basildon, as exclusively revealed in the Echo yesterday, close to the existing cardiothoracic centre in the town, which specialises in treatments for serious heart and lung problems.

The new unit would provide the highest dependency and intensive care for people who have had a stroke in the first 72 hours afterwards. This would be in addition to the existing stroke care units at all three hospitals which would remain in place.

The proposals form a reorganisation of all services provided by Southend, Basildon and Broomfield hospitals.

Professor Mike Bewick, independent chairman of the Clinical Commissioning Group Joint Committee, said: “The joint committee will discuss proposals to move to public consultation. If agreed, this will be an important next stage in the work we have been doing together to develop and build a health and care system fit for the future for the people of mid and south Essex and provide them with a further opportunity to give us their views to help shape the proposals.”

The proposals include improvements in A&E at all three hospitals with the development of four new assessment and treatment centres alongside each A&E. All three A&Es will be led by a consultant, open 24 hours a day and will receive “blue light” ambulances. It is estimated 14 patients a day will need to be transferred to a specialist team at another hospital.

Some specialist inpatient care could be brought together in one place, where there is existing expertise, to allow for extended hours, seven-day-a-week consultant and specialist cover for these services.

Examples include gynaecological surgery at Southend Hospital, urological surgery at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford and surgery for arteries and veins at Basildon Hospital.

But campaigners say the plans for transferring seriously ill patients were not properly considered.

Mike Fieldhouse, secretary, Save Southend NHS, said: “The logistics of transferring seriously ill patients across Essex each day between hospitals is fraught with danger, not least of which are staffing issues. Most will need accompanying by paramedics, specialist nurses or even doctors at a time when the NHS is experiencing a severe staffing crisis with dozens of unfilled vacancies in the East of England Ambulance Service too.

“Until we see the full proposals and receive cast-iron assurances that clinicians’ have been thoroughly consulted, approve these plans, and will be given the resources and staff needed to properly implement them, we will remain highly sceptical.”