Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to the NHS payment tariff decision today said:

“Once again, Jeremy Hunt is failing to provide the leadership the NHS desperately needs. The NHS is becoming mired in a sense of crisis and confusion because of his mismanagement.

“What the NHS needs more than anything is strong leadership and clarity. The Health Secretary needs to listen to concerns and quickly develop a plan that will help the NHS plan ahead through difficult times.

“More than a third of hospitals are already in deficit after David Cameron wasted billions on an NHS reorganisation nobody wanted. Labour has committed to investing an extra £2.5 billion each year – over and above the Tories – to recruit 20,000 nurses and 8,000 more GPs.”