RESIDENTS in South Essex will have a new choice in healthcare from the summer when a private mini-hospital opens in the heart of Basildon.

An extensive list of exactly what services will be on offer at the new mini hospital has been revealed.

The new health centre is set to open in the summer at the former Debenhams in the Eastgate Shopping Centre.

The Health Centre is being delivered through the Basildon Regeneration Partnership, an investment partnership between Basildon Council and Thrive Health Hubs.

While it offers services to private patients, NHS services will also be offered in a bid to cut waiting lists.

The facility will provide a comprehensive range of NHS and private healthcare services, including:

• MRI services
• CT services
• Ultrasound services
• GP services
• Urgent Care services
• Ophthalmology
• Blood tests
• Echocardiography and cardiac testing
• Health screening
• Orthopaedics
• Physiotherapy
• Health and wellbeing services
• Dental and orthodontic services
• General surgery
• Urology
• Breast services
• ENT
• Paediatrics
• Outpatient consultations across all specialties
• Respiratory testing

The new hospital will be open 24 hours a day, and it's expected that about 80 per cent of its work will be for the NHS.

The new Pitsea Community Diagnostic Centre in Northlands Pavement is expected to be open in spring 2027. A similar diagnostic service opened in Grays in Thurrock in October last year.

It is estimated 150,000 patient appointments per year will be offered at the new mini hospital and there will be approximately 500,000 total visitors each year.

The former Debenhams has stood empty since it closed in 2021. Indoor fun park, Fun Parx is opening a new branch in Basildon, with "something for everyone of every age" on the top floor of the former store.

Future phases of the hospital could see an overnight ward, high dependency unit and specialist theatres.