WORCESTER’S MP Robin Walker has praised hospital staff for their hard work during a time of what has been called “unprecedented” pressure.

The Conservative politician visited Worcestershire Royal Hospital on Thursday, February 19 where he met staff and volunteers and planted a black pear tree at the new £22.5 million oncology centre.

During his visit Mr Walker, who is standing for re-election in May’s General Election, spent time talking to doctors, nurses and patients at the hospital.

“Our NHS has faced some massive challenges in recent years with rising demand and great pressure on acute services as a result of an ageing population and more people living with complex conditions,” he said.

“Staff at Worcestershire Royal Hospital have done an incredible job in meeting those challenges and I keep hearing from constituents about the high quality of care that they have received there.

“It was a pleasure to be able to speak to more patients today and to spend time with some of the frontline staff who make such a huge contribution.”

He added he was delighted the new oncology centre, which opened in January following years of work and will be officially opened by Princess Anne in April, was finally fully up and running.

“Having campaigned for many years for radiotherapy services to come to Worcester I am delighted to see that they now have and I want to congratulate everyone who has been involved in achieving this,” he said.

“In particular I want to thank Paul Crawford, a head and neck cancer patient who first alerted me to the need to bring more treatments in county and campaigned tirelessly, first to protect the service that had saved his life and then to enhance it with cutting edge radiotherapy on the same site.

“It was an honour to be able to plant a Worcestershire pear tree at the site of what will be a fantastic addition to our county’s NHS.”

Mr Walker was also presented with a hard hat by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust chairman Harry Turner marked with a label reading “To Robin Walker MP in appreciation of the support shown in the development of the Worcestershire Oncology Centre”.

He added: “Worcestershire’s NHS is achieving some remarkable things.

“Despite the enormous challenges facing A&E our dedicated clinical staff are doing a remarkable job there and the vast majority of constituents who I have heard from recognise this.”