Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, commenting on reports of £2bn to avert NHS crisis said:

“David Cameron chose to put NHS finances on a knife edge when he wasted £3 billion on a damaging reorganisation. That’s why the NHS is in today’s fragile financial position.

"This is exactly the same pattern we saw under the last Tory government: winter crises, followed by emergency bailouts.

"Labour will rescue the NHS with a £2.5 billion a year Time to Care fund - on top of Tory spending plans - to fund new staff, including 20,000 more nurses.

"NHS patients are already seeing waiting times and cancer care heading downhill on this Government’s watch - people will fear that much worse will be in store next year. It is clear you can’t trust the Tories with the NHS.”