BBC Radio 2 presenter and Strictly Come Dancing star Jeremy Vine visited the hospital he was born in this week to officially open a new training centre.

From December: Strictly Come Dancing star Jeremy Vine praises Epsom and Ewell Talking Newspaper for bringing news to the blind

Mr Vine visited Epsom Hospital, where he was born 50 years ago, to open the Elena Power Simulation Centre on Monday, March 14.

The centre allows doctors and nurses from all disciplines to train for a number of situations in a safe way – from caring for a patient who deteriorates suddenly, to delivering bad news in a patient’s home – with a full feedback and review session from senior staff.

Doctors can take part in training scenarios in the new department and ‘treat’ lifelike manikins with their own pulses, and the ability to mimic talking, crying, sweating and even urinating.

Surrey Comet:

Mr Vine (pictured above) said: “I can see that the Elena Power Simulation Centre has been created with the future in mind.

“The training that doctors and nurses receive here will allow your staff to do not just the urgent things – like stabilising an emergency patient – but the important things too, such as communicating with them and their families in a compassionate way.”

The simulation centre was named for Elena Power, the former medical education manager at Epsom and St Helier Hospitals, who died in 2014 before she could see the plans for the centre completed.

Dr Shanthi Paramothayan, the trust’s associate medical director for Medical Education, paid tribute to Elena Power during the centre’s official opening.

She said: “Elena was a very talented and knowledgeable member of staff, whose impact was felt immediately.

“She was an asset to us, and truly set us on our way to developing this centre.”