The NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board has announced that the decision following the community hospital consultation, which threatened to close Maldon's St Peter's Hospital, will be delayed by six months.

The board now plans to establish an independently chaired working group to look at the feedback given and at viable options in detail , rather than make the decision at the planned September 30 meeting.

Jo Phillips, Campaign Manager of the group Save Maldon's Medical Services, told Maldon Nub News how "pleased" she is that the decision has been postponed: "We are thrilled to bits, this is one of the things we were asking for.

"We have always wanted people to work with us and for the ICB to listen to what we were saying as residents and patients, and one way we did that was try and maintain professionalism and ensure we don't alienate anyone.

"Our initial reaction to the news is that we feel that the campaign has been successful, and we are understandably very pleased we have been invited to join the working party.

"I think we've been heard by the ICB, it would have been very difficult for them to ignore the strength of feeling."

The Community Hospital Capacity consultation received over 5000 responses in three months, as residents gave their views on proposed changes to the existing provision of community hospital beds, midwife-led birthing or ambulatory care services.

The proposal outlined plans to close Maldon's historic St Peter's Hospital and move the stroke unit and midwife led birthing unit to alternative locations across Essex.

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Save Maldons Medical Services Campaign Group Members at a Maldon District Council Meeting last Friday, September 13. (Photo: Chloe Brewster)

"We will continue doing what we have been doing all along, which was trying to share what the vision is for that site and to try and explain the fact that it has so much potential.

"I think that going forwards, if we all work together and we all listen to each other, then they can have something that is really special and puts Maldon firmly in the centre of delivering modern healthcare in the community."

NHS Chiefs say the delay aims to allow further engagement to ensure a final decision is "fully informed" and "aligns with the needs of the local population".

The working group will include representatives from the NHS, local authorities, community organisations, and key stakeholders, and focus on reviewing consultation feedback, community engagement, and providing recommendations.