X-RAY services are coming back to Harwich’s Fryatt Hospital five days a week – and more services could follow.

Currently, patients in need of an X-Ray have to travel to Colchester General Hospital on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

But those with suspected fractures will soon be able to be scanned every weekday.

Harwich MP Bernard Jenkin welcomed the return of weekday X-Rays, and now wants even more medical practices back at the community hospital, in Main Road, Dovercourt.

He said: “Everybody remembers what the old Harwich hospital used to be able to do.

“The health reforms for Harwich will not be a success unless we get more services back.”

Mr Jenkin hosted a Harwich health forum and, alongside GPs and town councillors, urged the new Clinical Commissioning Group, which is taking over from the NHS North East Essex, to put more health services back into Harwich.

He believes red tape is preventing facilities at the hospital from being used.

He said: “There are two empty operating theatres – it’s unbelievable investment has been made and nobody is using them. To me, this is madness.”

Former Labour MP for Harwich, Ivan Henderson, echoed the sentiments of his Tory rival.

Speaking at a Harwich town council meeting on Thursday, he said: “There are consultants at Colchester who want to provide the services locally, but they can’t.

“This has gone on for years – they want to use theatres in Fryatt, but the primary care trust says they can’t be used.

“Patients are supposed to have a choice of where they go, but people living in Harwich were being told their choices were Colchester or Clacton.”