Kingston Hospital has praised its doctors, nurses, cleaners and other staff for getting in to work despite heavy snowfall last night.

No clinics were closed and all the services were running this morning.

Mini-buses were sent out to pick up staff in New Malden and Raynes Park but had a low take-up because staff preferred to make it in under their own steam.

A hospital spokesman said: "Staff are really good at making the effort to turn up.

"We have had people on holiday and off duty ringing up to say 'are they needed?' which happens every year."

Albert Ampofo, Unison branch secretary and a charge nurse working with anaesthetics in operating theatres, said the hospital had dealt with snow extremely well.

He said: “There’s a natural good will on the part of NHS staff in general, and especially in Kingston, that in times like these everyone offers an extra effort to make sure patients are well catered for.

“That’s one factor that seems to bind all of us together - staff, unions and management.”

Mr Ampofo said he drove from Feltham yesterday morning in heavy snowfall and most of his colleagues had managed to make it in as well.

But there were no specific examples of staff going the extra mile this time around that he knew of.

In February's snowfall, Moroccan born Kingston hospital chef Hamid Elkhiyari, 53, trekked through snow at 5am only to be sacked in the afternoon by contractor ISS Mediclean for eating a piece of garlic bread. He was later awarded £25,000 compensation for unfair dismissal.

Medical staff are bracing themselves for an increase in falls and fractures as pavements ice over but the hospital is advising patients only to turn up if they are in a critical of life threatening situation.

London Ambulance Service reported a significant rise in calls for broken wrists and ankles from slips, trips and falls.

A spokesman said: "Yesterday snow was the main issue. Today it is ice on pavements and footpaths."