SOUTHEND Hospital has insisted that the A&E department will not be downgraded, despite fears from campaigners.

Following news some ITU staff will be transferred to Basildon to work on a new specialist Covid-19 centre, campaigners believe original plans to have only one specialist A&E at Basildon have been resurrected.

The plan, drawn up by the Mid and South Essex Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP), was dropped following a public outcry.

A hospital spokesman refuted the claims. He said: “There will be no loss of 24/7 A&E at any of our sites.

“This allows us to better care for both patients and staff. It will release critical care availability across all three sites for surgical, cancer and cardiovascular patients who may have had their treatment delayed.”

A spokesman for the Save Southend NHS campaign group said: “Staff have been told this is a precursor to the Mid and South Essex Hospital group reviving the 2017 STP plans to move blue light A&E, renal and respiratory care – also known as “acute specialities” to Basildon’s super-hospital via the back door.

“Now we’ll be facing a fight again. Hearing these plans is nothing but a slap in the face to the heroes we have all clapped each week.”