WORK on a £3.4million health centre in Pitsea “should begin within months” as bosses release new images of the proposals.
The Place, a 43-year-old leisure centre, closed for the last time on Friday paving the way for demolition of the building and creation of the new health centre in Northlands Pavement.
The new Pitsea Community Diagnostic Centre will support thousands of patients every year in the hope of slashing hospital waiting times and providing patients with care “closer to home”.
Once up and running, in roughly two years’ time, the centre will have an eightroom endoscopy unit, one MRI scanner and two CT scanners and offer blood tests, X-rays, ultrasound, heart testing, lung testing, and dermatology testing.
New images of the centre have been revealed this week, sparking additional excitement about the project.
Craig Rimmer, former councillor responsible for the Pitsea South East ward, was involved in the planning process and is confident work will begin soon.
He said: “It is exciting that it is another step closer to a new health centre, and a new building for the leisure activities.
“It all had to be re-done at some point because parts of the building were in a state of disrepair.
“It is meant to take around 18 months to two years to complete. Our hope is closer to 18 months.
“I expect work will get under way soon, definitely this year from my understanding.
I would have thought around summertime.”
The new building will also be home to the leisure centre services, community facilities and groups, which all continue to be provided in the new centre.
Qaiser Malik, clinical director and consultant radiologist at Mid and South Essex NHS Trust, added: “The centres are part of a national initiative to support faster diagnosis and access to tests and scans closer to home.
“This is a complex project and one of the biggest centres with multiple uses and has needed true collaboration to get to this point.”
The trust adds that there will be an opportunity for residents to view the plans and see what the centre will offer “later in the year”.
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