A £60million construction contract to help kick-start two projects to revolutionise healthcare in south Essex has been awarded - but a leading GP claims it will not fix the bigger problems faced by the NHS.

Morgan Sindall Construction has received the huge contract to build Pitsea’s new health centre and a new “surgical hub” at Southend Hospital, alongside other refurbishment projects across south Essex.

The Mid and South Essex NHS Trust is hoping the new builds will help tackle waiting lists and improve treatment for patients across the region.

The surgical hub at Southend Hospital will offer 5,600 procedures a year across two operating theatres and a “procedure room” where patients can have treatment under local anaesthetic.

The Pitsea community diagnostic centre, in Northlands Pavement, will include a new MRI and CT scanning suite, X-ray machines, a pharmacy, ultrasound, consultancy rooms, and phlebotomy area.

However, Dr Krishna Chaturvedi, a Southend GP for more than 30 years, fears the projects are “small fixes” that will not “solve the bigger problems”.

He said: “I do feel that health services need to be improved, but I am not sure if this is the way.

“I personally feel they are doing these small fixes, that aren’t going to solve the biggest problems.

“How much benefit will they actually have? There is a staff shortage at the moment, especially in Southend Hospital.

“There is a lack of staff, so how will these new projects be managed?

“It is replacing something as an alternative, but that isn’t the answer. It is just putting the underlying issues elsewhere or creating more.”

Craig Rimmer, a former Pitsea councillor who was involved in the planning of the Pitsea health centre, is confident the scheme will be a huge success.

He said: “This is really exciting news.

“Morgan Sindall did a great job of delivering Pitsea Swimming Pool on time and will do a great job on the Pitsea Community Diagnostic Centre and the Southend surgical hub.

“Both health facilities will revolutionise healthcare in south Essex. We have longer life expectancy already, but we need longer healthy life expectancy now, and the CDC and surgical hub will help deliver this by diagnosing and treating people much sooner.

“In Clacton, they already have a CDC and people go from their GP to an appointment there the same or next day.”