Apology to Burnham over emails

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has been threatened with potential legal action by Labour in a row over claims that he ordered a "cover up" of NHS care shortcomings.

Andy Burnham brought in the party's lawyers after Mr Hunt refused to retract an allegation that his Opposition shadow was involved the suppression of a critical report into "failing" hospitals.

They have written to the Cabinet minister warning of further action unless he ends what Labour says is a baseless smear campaign against Mr Burnham.

Read: Tories claim 'overwhelming evidence of cover up'

The Conservatives point to emails showing that the Department of Health under Labour tried to stop details emerging of a hospital scandal involving higher-than-normal death rates relating to relate to Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Read: Burnham asks Hunt to apologise over 'cover up' claims

A Conservative health spokeswoman has said there was "overwhelming evidence that Labour ministers leant on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) watchdog" to "tone down and cover up NHS failure for political purposes".

However, Labour has asked Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, to substantiate his claims that Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham hid hospital failings in a "cover up".

"It is high time he (Mr Hunt) focused on his real job and the unfolding A&E crisis instead of orchestrating a smear campaign without evidence," a party spokesman said.

Here is a breakdown of what email data showing the Department of Health under the Labour government attempted to stop details emerging of a hospital scandal contained:

• Emails released by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) watchdog under freedom of information laws showed the Department of Health ordered the CQC not to brief the press on an inspector's report into the trust, which found appalling standards of hygiene.

• But by then the CQC had already told three national newspapers the report was impending and the story was being published by the Press Association.
• The CQC report into Basildon detailed major concerns about unusually high death rate among patients.

• Inspectors found blood stains on floors and curtains, blood splattered on trays used to carry equipment and badly soiled mattresses in the A&E department with stains soaked through.

Read: Email data makes Burnham's position 'untenable'

New email data showing the Department of Health under the Labour government attempted to stop details emerging of a hospital scandal makes Andy Burnham's position as Shadow Health Secretary "untenable", according to the Tory MP who instigated the release of the details.

Steve Barclay requested the information from the Care Quality Commissions (CQC) watchdog, relating to Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Barclay said that Burnham, who was Health Secretary at the time, was "putting pressure on the regulator to water down its concerns".

But Mr Burnham insisted the emails showed only that "my concern stemmed from the fact that CQC/DH rules had been broken.

"Further, the note records that I ordered a press release, in accordance with proper process, be issued later that day."

Andy Burnham has asked Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, to substantiate his claims that the Labour MP hid hospital failings in a "cover up".

He said he was concerned that disclosure rules had been broken and challenged Mr Hunt to apologise.

Read: Andy Burnham denies hospital 'cover up'

Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham has denied trying to prevent a hospital failings scandal becoming public knowledge when he was serving as health secretary in 2009.

Emails released by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) watchdog under freedom of information laws showed that the Department of Health under Labour tried to stop details emerging of a hospital scandal involving higher-than-normal death rates.

Jeremy Hunt, the current health secretary, described the emails as "shocking revelations on Andy Burnham's attempts to cover up failing hospitals" but Burnham accused Hunt of launching a "smear campaign without evidence" against him.