SOUTHEND could be left without hospital dementia beds if patients are moved around the county to free up beds, it is feared.

A proposal to transfer people between Rochford, Thurrock and Basildon could open up 20 mental health beds and save cash.

The complex plan involves moving patients from a ward in Rochford, that helping people with mental health concerns, to Thurrock, which has some spare capacity.

The spaces would then be taken up by patients who need physiotherapy and physical rehabilitation and are currently at the Cumberlege Intermediate Care Centre, Pantile Avenue, Southend.

As a result of these, and a number of other moves, the hope is spaces will be opened up at a mental health unit which can take some of the strain on A&E departments during the winter.

However concerns have been raised about the temporary change in the type of patients at Maple Ward, in Rochford, becoming permanent and leaving Southend with a shortage of mental health beds.

The proposal was discussed by the scrutiny committee at Southend Council last week but members chose to refer the decision to the full council meeting set to be held on Thursday. They highlighted concerns the move may leave Southend without any dementia facilities.

The organisation behind the plans, Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust (EPUT), stressed that the moves would be temporary but did not provide any guarantees in writing.

Independent councillor and member of the scrutiny committee, Trevor Harp, said the plans could result in a “major boost” to healthcare in the area but the committee wants the EPUT to report back to full council with clearer plans.

The referral means the plans have been delayed and further problems have been caused by the suspension of building work at the Cumberlege centre.

Mr Harp added: “They need to make some improvements to the Rochford ward, which could take up to six weeks, so they are looking at Christmas before the transfers could take place and they could take two to three months. There is only about two weeks of breathing room for this plan to go operational or they are at risk of losing funding.”