HEALTH and care sectors in north east Essex and Suffolk are facing an annual deficit of £250 million by 2021, a new report has revealed.

Nick Hulme, the chief executive of Colchester general and Ipswich hospitals, outlined the size of the challenge facing both sectors in a new report.

Public sector organisations with responsibility for health or care services have been ordered to work together to form “sustainability and transformation plans” to plug the gap and provide the extra services.

The plan for this region covers 953,000 people, 26 organisations, 104 GP practices, 177 dental practices, 184 pharmacies and 193 optometrists.

As well as cutting costs, the plan needs to improve rates of early diagnosis for cancer and dementia, improve diabetes care and care for people with learning disabilities and improve mental healthcare.

The report states: “The current annual health and care income to the system is £2.3 billion with a health system deficit of £84.8 million.

“However, if we do nothing, this deficit is predicted to grow to £248 million by 2021.

“Much of this is driven by the increasing number of people using services.

“There are also shortages in key health workforce groups including nurses, doctors, therapists and other support staff.”

The report added: “Improvement in the quality of services, particularly at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, is also a priority.

“To bridge these gaps, significant changes are needed in the way health and care services are organised and work together.”

In north Essex there will be an increased focus on detecting risk factors as well as new programmes to help those with physical and mental health problems.

Measures are also being discussed to shift some care from hospitals to people’s homes.

Other changes likely will include the county’s two mental health trusts merging to cut costs, setting up federations of GP practices with fewer but far bigger surgeries.

Splitting which services are provided at Colchester or Ipswich hospital, rather than both, are also being discussed.

There will also be closer links between the three clinical commissioning groups north east Essex, Ipswich and east Suffolk and west Suffolk with back office mergers which could save money but cost jobs.

The report was presented to Essex County Council’s health overview and scrutiny committee.