A NEW health centre could be created in north Essex under plans for a radical shake-up of urgent care services.

The move - to create a single Minor Injury Service - is designed to relieve pressure on Colchester Hospital's Accident and Emergency department.

It is one of three options being considered by the North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

The idea is to create a single minor injury service somewhere in North Essex, which would be located wherever there is greatest need.

Bosses have not ruled out using and expanding the existing walk-in centre in Turner Road, Colchester, next to the town's general hospital.

The second option would be to close the walk-in centre, as well as minor injury units at Clacton and Harwich.

However, CCG bosses have admitted this option would lead to a "patient safety risk" with substantially more pressure on Colchester's A&E.

The third option is to continue running all three units with no change.

Councillor Martin Goss, whose ward on Colchester Council includes the walk-in centre, said: "My preferred option would be to leave it alone.

"In Colchester there would be increased car travel and demand due to increased visitors in an already stressed part of Colchester.”

He added: "I would rather see investments in Clacton and Harwich because they are going to be getting increased housing, set out in Local Plans.

"It is not just a case of moving the problem, it is much wider than that."

Harwich councillor Ivan Henderson said: "I am obviously hugely concerned, but not surprised the option to close the Harwich minor injury unit has been floated.

"This would be on top of the decision to close our maternity unit.

"Harwich is seen as a quick fix, we are consistently taking the brunt of these decisions.

"Harwich is being shut off and forgotten about and my feeling is people will not allow it."

The proposals come as the CCG and Colchester's hospital trust continue to battle spiralling deficits yet patient numbers are on the rise.

The A&E department has battled to hit the national target of treating 95 patients per cent within four hours.

The CCG is looking to seek the public's views on the plans from January 4 until March 2017, with a final decision made in May.

A paper to the CCG board meeting, to be discussed on Tuesday, states: "Across North East Essex, we want to reshape out of hospital urgent care services so that they are simpler for patients or carers to access urgent health care, regardless of the time of day, while acknowledging the limited resources and funding available."

The potential cost of creating a Minor Injury Service and savings made by closing the Tendring units have not been disclosed.

But the paper warns during the consultation period there could be an "adverse impact" on staffing due to uncertainty over their jobs.

It adds: "No decisions have been made.

"During the public involvement period, the CCG will be engaging with local people to explain how these ideas have been developed, why we have to make these proposals, and find out how people might be affected. This whole process will be open and transparent which is supported by the independent assessors being asked to write a report on all the information which is gathered over this period."

Contracts for the minor injuries units and the walk-in centre are due to expire on March 31 2018.

If the new Minor Injury Service went ahead it could be up and running from April 2018.

Tuesday's meeting will take place at St James Church Hall, Tower Road, Clacton, at 2.30pm.

The three options are:

-Allow current contracts for Colchester’s Walk-In Centre and Harwich and Clacton’s Minor Injury Units to expire and create a Minor Injury Service within Colchester and Tendring.

-Allow current contracts for Colchester’s Walk-In Centre and the two minor injury units to expire with assumption that current activity from those services will be absorbed by self-care/pharmacy, GP Practices and the Emergency Department (ED).

-Continue to run Colchester’s Walk In Centre and Harwich and Clacton’s Minor Injury Units, with no change