Three out of five clinical commissioning group chairmen abstained from a vote on NHS plans to streamline local healthcare services over fears of a lack of funding.

The Mid and South Essex Sustainability Plans which have just been published for public consultation, will see a range of changes to hospital and community services.

The plans were signed off by a joint clinical commission group despite the three chairmen’s abstentions.

Those who failed to vote were Castle Point and Rochford’s Kashif Siddiqui, Southend’s José Garcia Lobera and Thurrock’s Anand Deshpande. All three are GPs.

The Health Service Journal reported the Mid Essex and Basildon Clinical Commissioning Group, along with Brentwood group chairmen and all five of the group’s accountable officers voted in favour of the proposals – meaning the vote was passed with seven in favour and three abstentions.

The plans include having specialist centres based in Basildon, Southend and Broomfield Hospitals.

There are also plans for more healthcare to be delivered by GPs and other health professionals in the community to lessen the strain on hospitals and to save local NHS services from a financial black hole.

However, there are concerns there is insufficient funding to support such a transition to more primary care.

Dr Jose Garcia Lobera, GP Chairman of Southend Clinical Commissioning Group and member of the Clinical Commissioning Group Joint Committee, said: “The GP Chairs are in complete agreement that the proposed hospital changes should be published for consultation. Our hospital services do need modernisation and we support the five principles upon which these proposals are based.

“Backed by national and international clinical evidence, the proposals represent clinical best practice and take into account the particular needs of our area.”

Dr Garcia added: “We look forward to hearing the views of staff and local people before considering our commissioning decisions in 2018. Clearly, we want a meaningful consultation that will inform plans and ensure the best possible services in the future for the 1.2 million people of mid and south Essex.

“The reason for abstaining was to highlight our view that the mid and south Essex health and care system needs further investment in primary and social care. As partners in the Mid and South Essex Sustainability and Transformation Plan, we will continue to discuss how best to secure this.”

Mike Fieldhouse, spokesman for Save Southend NHS Campaign, said: “The area’s five Clinical Commissioning Groups that have the power to decide where to spend the vast majority of our money on health services, have formed another joint committee in an attempt to help implement these massive cuts to NHS funding.

“The first major decision that this new committee has made has proved controversial with three of the five heads of the clinical commissioning group’s abstaining, in the words of Southend group chairman Dr Lobera “to highlight our view that the mid and south Essex health and care system needs further investment in primary care”.

“Despite these serious concerns that the figures simply didn’t add up, the Sustainability and Transformation Partnership immediately published its plans for public consultation.”

Dr Celia Skinner, Chief Medical Officer for the three hospital trusts; “The proposed changes in hospital services have been developed by clinicians over 18 months and with input from local people. As part of the development process, there were four clinical reviews by the independent East of England Clinical Senate and an options appraisal involving a panel of clinical experts from outside our area, which has provided substantial clinical assurance.

“There is still further work to do both during the consultation and in future implementation to ensure complete clinical assurance. Our approach to implementation will be to plan key stages where we will be able to ensure patient safety and to test and review each stage before moving on to the next.”

The consultation ends on March 9.