HEALTH bosses are planning to open a multi-million pound health centre in Dagenham in 2013.

The hub would have a GP surgery, pharmacy, dental surgery, and diagnostic services including X-ray and blood testing.

There are also plans for dedicated diabetes and lung disease care.

The Centre is planned to be near to the Sanofi-Aventis pharmaceutical plant in Rainham Road South and has been described as a “community hospital” by health chiefs though it will have no beds.

It is partly modelled on the �12million revamp of Barking Hospital, which features community health services and is to have maternity beds next year.

But unlike the Hospital, the Dagenham health centre will not feature a maternity unit.

NHS Barking and Dagenham stressed that an initial consultation carried out in 2009 had shown people were in favour of the community hospital near Dagenham East Tube.

Corporate services director Rebecca Scott said: “This consultation found strong public support for a health facility in Dagenham with a wide range of services, in a location that is easy to access, with good transport links and good parking.

“Next steps are to refine the details through the development of a business case, which will also clarify how much the development will cost.

“It is envisaged that the hospital could open in 2013.”