LORD Lieutenant of Merseyside visited Arrowe Park Hospital to launch celebrations for International Nurses Day.

Dame Lorna Muirhead who is the Queen’s representative in Merseyside spent her own career as a midwife opened the event and praised the nursing staff from Wirral University Teaching Hospital on Friday.

Margaret Kitching chief nurse for NHS England North and director of nursing Hazel Richards also attended the celebratory event.

The event showcased many activities from pampering sessions to yoga aimed at promoting the importance of health and wellbeing of nursing staff at the Trust.

International Nurses Day is celebrated on May 12 every year to coincide with the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.

Dame Lorna said: “I was delighted to take part in the event and see the great care being provided by nursing staff at the hospital.

“This is such an important day and it is wonderful to celebrate the nurses for the care they provide every day for the people of Wirral.

“I would really like to thank the nurses for welcoming me to join them in their celebrations.”

As one of the busiest acute Trust’s in the North West Arrowe Park Hospital attracts nurses from across the world.

Director of nursing and midwifery Gaynor Westray said: “Our nurses work tirelessly to provide the best care for our patients.

“We have faced a very challenging year and our nursing staff along with our colleagues have worked above and beyond to ensure patient care is always our priority.

“International Nurses Day is a great way for us to thank our nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals for the hard work they do all year round.

“I am extremely proud of the compassionate care our nurses continue to provide for our patients.”