PLANS have been unveiled for a huge new building at Southend Hospital to create additional operating theatres, 48 extra beds and “significantly reduce” waiting lists. 

The Mid and South Essex Hospital Trust - which manages Southend Hospital - has submitted plans to Southend Council to create the new £25million building at the front of the hospital. 

If approved, the three-storey building will consist of two operating theatres on the ground floor and 48 beds on the two floors above and will allow the hospital to complete 5,600 extra operations a year. 

Trust bosses have previously insisted the new unit will help “significantly” slash waiting lists and the plans come just weeks after it was revealed that one in eight patients are waiting more than 40 weeks for treatment at Southend Hospital. 

The submission of the plans comes just weeks after the Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that the trust will receive £110million in additional funding to improve facilities. 

Echo:

Southend West MP Anna Firth says the new unit will be “hugely beneficial” for residents.

She told the Echo: “I very much welcome the new day surgery, which will provide targeted, dedicated care where it is needed. More broadly, I am delighted that Southend Hospital is receiving its dedicated ‘missing millions’, which I have raised in the Chamber 11 times now.

“Having visited the site and seen the plans earlier this year, I know this new unit will be hugely beneficial, not just to my constituents in Southend West, but for residents across the entirety of mid and south Essex. This new day surgery unit will deliver increased long-term capacity at Southend Hospital, ensuring that local people are treated more quickly and in better surroundings and I am absolutely delighted that these plans have now been submitted.”

If approved, the existing Churchfield Building and Porters Lodge Centres will be demolished to make way for the New Churchfield Building. 

Originally built for nurses’ accommodation, much of the Churchfield Building has been left unused, with only the ground floor being used as administration spaces. Recently, the staff have all been relocated to more suitable premises.