HEALTHCARE bosses hope a move to a shared home could help save cash and crucial services.

Southend Clinical Commissioning Group already has a deficit of £6.8million and faces tough choices about what health services to cut in order to balance the budget.

In the past cuts have included reducing IVF opportunities from three chances to one.

In a bid to save cash but avoid further healthcare cuts the CCG has moved in with Southend Council.

The move could also benefit patients as those in charge of healthcare and those in charge of public health will now be working just floors apart.

The NHS group, which was put in special measures by NHS England in January over its finances has moved out of Harcourt House and into the sixth floor of Southend Civic Centre to try and get better control of its finances.

Chairman Dr José Garcia Lobera said: “This is a great opportunity to strengthen the joint arrangements the CCG already has with Southend Council, in order to meet current and future challenges for our local population.”

John Lamb, leader of the council, said: “We are very happy to warmly welcome the clinical commissioning group onto floor six of the civic centre.

“This is a great step forward, as we continue to develop close alliances with the CCG, delivering integrated services to our local community.”

Southend CCG and Southend Council already work collaboratively, in a number of areas, including on community and social care services for adults and children covering both physical and mental health.

The two organisations also collaborate on public health services, social care, care for people with learning disabilities and safeguarding.

There is already a joint team for these areas which include smoking cessation, obesity advice, healthy living and other programmes.

With both organisations operating from the same building, health, social care and public health services across the Southend area may be able to improve and sustain the health and wellbeing of local residents and save money for much needed services at the same time.