Basildon Health Centre takes shape at former Debenhams site

Construction has started on Basildon Health Centre in the Eastgate Centre; the first phase is due by autumn and aims to provide about 50,000 appointments a year.

Construction has begun on Basildon Health Centre inside the Eastgate Centre in Basildon. The project is led by Thrive Health Hubs and will occupy the ground floor of the former Debenhams store that closed in 2021. The centre will provide imaging services such as MRI, CT, X-ray and ultrasound, together with outpatient services and operating theatres. The first phase is due to be completed by the autumn and is planned to offer about 50,000 appointments a year. Key details: - Construction work has started on the Basildon Health Centre in the Eastgate Centre. - Phase one will be on the ground floor of the former Debenhams and is due by the autumn, with an expected capacity of about 50,000 appointments a year. - When fully developed the centre is expected to reach around 150,000 appointments annually and could create up to 350 jobs, with about 80 positions in phase one. - Services listed for the centre include MRI, CT, X-ray, ultrasound, outpatient care and operating theatres. - Thrive Health Hubs was founded by a group of NHS clinical staff in south Essex and says it is working closely with the NHS; NHS-funded patients treated at the centre will be under the national tariff model. - The company also plans a Southend Community Diagnostic Centre at the former Argos site in Victoria Shopping Centre. Summary: The centre is intended to add diagnostic capacity and complementary services to Basildon University Hospital and increase local access to imaging and outpatient care. The first phase aims to open by the autumn with about 50,000 appointments a year, with further expansion toward 150,000 appointments and additional jobs planned in later phases.