The Prime Minister’s health advisor has praised Havering’s district nurses for the outstanding care they provide.

Nick Seddon was at the Harold Hill Health Centre in Gooshays Drive to chat with staff and experience a few home visits.

District nurses visit patients in their homes, which also helps to keep hospital admissions down.

Mr Seddon chose to travel with Liz Alderton, who has been recognised as promoting the highest standard of patient care through the Queen’s Institute Nurse programme.

They saw patients with diabetes, one with complex needs and two palliative patients under 45.

“Liz and the service are providing good standards of care to patients that I wanted to see for myself,” said Mr Seddon. “They are all clearly doing a great job and this should be celebrated.”

David Foster, deputy director of nursing for the Department of Health, said the service was “outstanding” after spending a morning with the team last June.

Dr Crystal Oldman, chief executive of the Queen’s Institute, said: “Nick said it was one of the most engaging shadowing visits with a clinician he had ever had.”