The county's top NHS boss has defended £27.3million worth of loans from south Essex health services to bail out debt-ridden health departments in other counties.

Neil McKay, newly-appointed chief executive of the east of England Strategic Heal-th Authority, said he has a responsibility to balance the books for the entire region, including Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire, Hertford-shire and Cambridge-shire.

But patients fear longer waiting times and fewer services as £18.4million is taken from the £460million budget of the South West Essex Primary Care Trust, which covers Basildon, Thurrock, Billericay, Wickford and Brent-wood.

A further £8.9million has been demanded from the South East Essex Primary Care Trust, which looks after Southend, Rochford and Castle Point.

There is no guaranteed date for when the cash will be returned. Mr McKay said: "I understand why people feel disappointed but this money will be returned - I just don't know when.

"We have a responsibility to the region to balance the books. It's not something we have done lightly.

"Some areas are better than others so we have asked organisations to contribute to a reserve to offset the problems."

He explained if the authority meets its financial targets for this time next year, then there is a "really good chance" the PCTs will get their money back.

He said: "It's not lost. It will come back. The NHS has had phenomenal growth recently and there is money coming in to the service.

"Even after the loans have been made, the Essex PCTs have had significant extra money coming in - it's not like we've taken the money and left them with nothing.

"It just means they may have to defer some things."

For Basildon, it means there is still hope for the walk-in health centre planned for Laindon, Pitsea, Craylands and Fryerns.

It was feared bosses would scrap the plans but Mr McKay explained how health centres are the future of the NHS because they take pressure off hospitals.

He said: "Unless we find a financial platform, we can't think strategically. But health centres are a really exciting opportunity and could revolutionise the way health services are provided."