TV doctor opens new hospital outpatient unit

Martin Clunes said the unit was an "amazing step forward" for the area

Martin Clunes - star of TV series Doc Martin about a GP in a fictional Cornish town - has opened a new hospital facility in Penzance.

The actor, who played Dr Martin Ellingham in the show, unveiled a plaque at West Cornwall Hospital to mark the opening of its new outpatient department.

The unit cost £9m and was completed in early June.

Clunes said: "They asked me if I'd open [it] and I suppose I am a good fit for that, I mean being a doctor for 18 years, albeit just on the telly."

'Amazing step forward'

Clunes said he was thrilled to be shown around the new unit.

"When all you hear is gloom and doom about the NHS and the people who work in it being undervalued, this looks like everyone's being valued, as are the patients and and this shiny new building," he said.

"It's an amazing step forward for a part of the country I know feels neglected and overlooked."

David Allen, chairman of Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, said it was "wonderful" to have Clunes there and it was important for West Cornwall residents to have their own facilities.

"I think we're all feeling great today, we've had a real lift," he said.

"I think of this as a real declaration of faith on the future of West Cornwall Hospital because nobody would invest £9m unless we were pretty certain about the future."

Shirley Harris grew up three streets away from the hospital.

Shirley Harris, the hospital's head of nursing, said the unit allowed people to be seen locally which would reduce their travel and carbon footprint.

"I've been connected to this hospital and worked here since 1990," she said. "By enabling this hospital with this new fantastic building, we're future-proofing it for future generations and it's such a fantastic thing."