A Southend councillor believes a decision to move a vital part of Southend stroke service to Basildon has already been made.

The contentious plans put forward by the Mid and South Essex Sustainability and Transformation Partnership, which include an option for a hyper acute stroke unit at Basildon rather than Southend, have been referred by Southend councillors to the secretary of state after they raised a number of concerns.

However Charles Willis, Labour councillor for Westborough ward, believes plans are already under way to move the thrombectomy or clot removal service, to Basildon. He said: "We've been told this is is definitely happening. We are seeking confirmation.

“I’m very surprised and extremely disappointed if they have made this move while the secretary of state is considering the validity of the proposals.I will be asking councillors to pass a motion of no confidence in the team delivering these changes.”

A spokesman for the Save Southend NHS campaign group said:The Mid and South Essex STP always claimed that their proposals to relocate Southend stroke services to Basildon would only occur if it was deemed in the clinical best interests of the patient. We are appalled to hear there are already early signs that the STPs plans are having a negative effect on patient outcomes following a reduction in staff available to operate the current ‘best endeavour’ thrombectomy service at Southend, coupled with the removal of the hugely successful Mobile Stroke Unit from December. “These pioneering services have saved numerous lives yet the STP continue to forge ahead with centralisation of acute stroke at Basildon. It appears they wish to thwart the local successes of our stroke speciality at any cost in order to achieve their end goal to move the service to Basildon.”

A hospital spokesman said: "Southend Hospital currently runs a voluntary ‘best endeavours’ mechanical thrombectomy service, this means that the provision of this service is dependent on the availability of specialist medical and nursing staff working within the Trust.

A joint group of commissioners , CCG members and hospital specialists from across the three trusts has been formed to look at the "strongly approved" ambition to develop the mechanical thrombectomy services for mid and south Essex, but no decision has yet been made."