Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to the Care Quality Commission’s report on Whipps Cross and the decision to put Barts Health NHS Trust into special measures, said:

“This report is another warning for David Cameron that under-staffed hospitals are putting patients at risk on his watch.

“Across England, more than half of nurses now say their ward is dangerously understaffed, and more believe patient safety has got worse than better. The vast majority of NHS staff say the Government’s reorganisation is harming patient care.

“The truth is that by wasting £3 billion on a damaging reorganisation and causing a crisis in A&E, David Cameron is making care problems more likely, not less.

“The NHS as we know it can’t survive another five years of the Tories’ failing plan. Labour has a better plan to invest £2.5 billion extra a year in a Time to Care fund - on top of Tory spending plans - to fund new staff, including 20,000 more nurses and 8,000 more GPs.”