New details of medical centres set to replace Orsett Hospital have been praised by councillors who said they provide reassurances over long-running concerns.

Fresh information about the four integrated medical centres was discussed at a meeting last week where it was explained that the facilities will deliver a new model of care that puts primary, community, social and mental health care all under one roof.

The centres will be built in Tilbury, Corringham, Grays and Purfleet to replace Orsett Hospital which is due to close as part of a wider £118million plan to reshape how health care is delivered across Essex.

Speaking at the meeting Roger Harris, corporate director of adults, housing and health said: “It is important to say this is a very, very significant transformation programme. It is not just about building four health centres, we’re talking about a whole new way of delivering health and social community care and also significantly enhancing primary care services in the community.”

Each centre will have a designated area for primary health care services, which is where patients will go to be treated for problems traditionally delivered at a GP practice.

Services such as social care and mental health care will be delivered using “multifunctional” rooms that are interchangeable, depending on which service wishes to use the room.

Councillor Victoria Holloway said that she is “really impressed” with the planning and she feels “much more reassured”.

When questions were raised about how health authorities will be able to recruit a large enough workforce to staff the facilities, Tania Sitch, partnership director of adults health and social care, expressed confidence due to the “new and innovative” ways of working.

“We are finding that when we do new and innovative things we are able to attract people,” she said. “We have been getting lots of people visiting Thurrock because they like the model of transformation that we are doing and colleagues are coming here from all over the place – from London, from Essex and from other places to hear about our transformation work.”