‘Normal for governments to go through these patches’ – Jeremy Hunt on recent criticism

A shortage of trained staff is affecting every part of the NHS, and today a move to oblige the government to publish an independent assessment of staffing every other year was defeated in parliament.

The amendment, tabled by the chair of the Commons Health and Social Care Committee, Jeremy Hunt, failed to win government backing, despite many healthcare groups expressing support for the idea.

When we spoke to the former health secretary this afternoon, we asked him how his solution would work.