BORIS Johnson was "impressed" by Colchester Hospital and "valued" the opportunity to meet hardworking staff.
The Prime Minister paid a visit to the Turner Road site this morning where he met with patients and the dedicated medics leading the country out of the pandemic.
Mr Johnson was escorted on the visit yesterday by the hospital’s chief executive Nick Hulme.
He toured the hospital’s new Collingwood cancer centre where he spoke with nurse consultant for chemotherapy Lesley Sheen and patients receiving treatment.
He then headed for the elective surgical ward where he engaged in conversations with staff.
IN PICTURES: Boris Johnson meets medics and patients at Colchester Hospital
Mr Hulme said: “It was a privilege to welcome the Prime Minister to Colchester Hospital and to give him the opportunity to meet some of our staff who’ve all worked so hard during the pandemic.
“We have robust plans in place to tackle hospital waiting times which have undoubtedly increased during the pandemic response.
“Today we were able to talk to the Prime Minister about what we’re doing locally, as well as the challenges we face, as we work on delivering our routine care recovery plan to treat patients as quickly and as safely as we can.”
Colchester MP Will Quince accompanied Mr Johnson on his visit and speaking afterwards said the Prime Minister had been impressed with the facility.
He added: “It was an amazing opportunity to show him how far the hospital has come in the past few years and to show him what we see, which is a hospital going from strength to strength.
"He was really impressed and valued the opportunity to meet the staff and patients at the hospital."
One patient who is being cared for on Mersea ward got to meet Mr Johnson.
She said: “I have seen him on the television so much in recent times, so it was almost like meeting one of your neighbours.”
Mr Johnson told reporters at the hospital lockdowns were a “very, very painful and traumatic thing” that had to be “set against the horror of the pandemic” and he had followed the scientific data.
He also said he took an “incredibly difficult series of decisions” to tackle coronavirus, “none of which we have taken lightly”.
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