FOR many families in Grays, accessing healthcare quickly has become increasingly difficult in recent years.

Long NHS waiting lists, travelling across London for appointments, and limited evening or weekend availability have left many local residents feeling frustrated, stressed, and often anxious while waiting for answers about their health.

It was these experiences that inspired local resident Iulia Popescu and her business partner, a doctor with extensive clinical experience, to open a new private multidisciplinary clinic - MedicaPlus - in Grays focused on accessibility, reassurance, and support for the local community.

Having lived in Grays for more than a decade, Iulia says she saw first-hand how limited local access to private healthcare had become.

"Families often had to travel long distances, wait months for appointments, or struggle to find care available during evenings and weekends. We realised the community deserved another option — something local, accessible and genuinely supportive," she explained.

Although her professional background spans more than 10 years across banking, finance, and hospitality management, moving into healthcare completely changed the direction of her career. More than ten years ago, she joined her current business partner's dental clinic in Canary Wharf before progressing into the role of CQC Registered Manager.

"My business partner is a doctor, so together we have been able to combine both the clinical and operational sides of healthcare to create a service that genuinely prioritises patient care and accessibility," said Iulia.

"What attracted me most to healthcare was the opportunity to support people during vulnerable and often stressful moments in their lives. For me, healthcare is not simply about appointments or treatments — it's about helping people feel supported, understood and reassured. Sometimes, simply knowing someone is listening and willing to help can make an enormous difference to a patient's experience."

The clinic offers a wide range of private healthcare services under one roof, designed to make healthcare more convenient and accessible for local residents. Alongside comprehensive dental care — from same-day emergency appointments and routine check-ups to implants, endodontics and orthodontics — the clinic also provides ENT specialist consultations, paediatrics, dermatology, private GP appointments, cardiology services, full-body ultrasound scans, and fast-turnaround blood testing.

The founders are also keen to stress that their goal is not to replace the NHS, but to work alongside it by providing local residents with faster access to care when needed.

"We have enormous respect for the incredible work NHS staff do every single day under immense pressure. We are absolutely not here to replace the NHS. Our aim was simply to create another option for local people — one that could help reduce some of the stress, anxiety and uncertainty families often experience while waiting for answers."

According to the clinic's team, the difference quicker access can make is already becoming clear. Some patients expecting to wait months to see a specialist have been able to secure appointments within days, while parents concerned about their child's health have arranged scans within 48 hours instead of waiting several months.

The clinic has been designed around the realities of modern family life, offering appointments seven days a week, including evenings and weekends.

"Many local residents work long hours and simply cannot attend appointments during standard weekday times. That's why we designed the clinic around real life — offering flexible appointments that fit around working families. When it comes to health, people are not thinking about convenience; they are thinking about peace of mind."

Iulia also addressed a common perception surrounding private healthcare — particularly when people first walk into the clinic.

"Some people may walk into the clinic and think it looks modern or perhaps even 'too posh', but one thing that is incredibly important to us is making healthcare feel welcoming and accessible to everybody — never intimidating.

We understand that private healthcare can sometimes feel out of reach, which is why we worked very hard to ensure our pricing remains aligned with what already exists across Grays and the surrounding areas. Our goal was never to create something exclusive — it was to create something local, supportive and genuinely helpful for the community."

She is encouraging local residents to visit the clinic, meet the team, and ask questions, even if they are simply curious to see what services are available.

"We would genuinely encourage local residents to come in, see the clinic for themselves, ask questions, meet the team and feel comfortable. There is absolutely no pressure. We want people to feel welcome here.

"This clinic was built for the local community because we are part of the local community ourselves, and we would love for people to come and experience that personally."

The response from local residents so far, she says, has been overwhelmingly positive — reinforcing what the founders believed from the very beginning: Grays needed greater access to healthcare closer to home.

To find out more visit MedicaPlus's website: https://medicaplus.uk/ or Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MedicaPlusGrays/