THE number of patients being transferred between hospitals could treble if radical new plans go ahead.

As many as 15,000 people could be transported between Southend, Basildon and Broomfield Hospital if the biggest health reforms in south Essex in a lifetime go ahead.

Campaigners Save Southend NHS submitted a freedom of information request which revealed two patients, admitted for an emergency, are currently transferred on average every day from Southend.

They claim the increase is so huge it will be a logistical nightmare and put patients at risk.

However those in charge of the hospitals revealed more than 5,000 transfers took place in 2016/17 across all categories of patients and hospitals and plans are in place to cope with the increase to between ten and fifteen thousand transfers.

The £118million scheme is currently paused after Southend and Thurrock Councils called on the Health Secretary to review them.

Save Southend NHS has called on them to be stopped completely however the body of NHS experts claim the plans are the best way to cope with the growing demands on patients and staff and they must go ahead.

A spokesman for Save Southend NHS said: “The hospital estimates up to 19 additional A&E patients could be transferred for their emergency care.

“On top of that, it is also forecast that up to 23 more patients will also be transferred for their planned operations.

“The bottom line is, that according to the NHS’s own figures, we could see an extra 294 seriously-ill patients a week being ferried across Essex by ambulance for their care.”

Dr Celia Skinner, chief medical officer, responded: “We have always stated these figures could vary daily depending on each person’s individual care needs and may be slightly higher or lower, particularly at certain times of year.

“Following the decision in July by the five clinical commissioning groups to go ahead, a live audit was carried out and our estimates of an average of 15 emergency patients and 14 planned care patients who could benefit from a transfer across the three hospitals each day, has been proven correct.”

A final decision on whether all purpose hospitals will become specialist centres instead is still under discussion.